STAFF REPORTS

Photo Courtesy: Google

Chino Hills – While the east coast is experiencing one of the coldest winters on record, Southern California is wishing it had a little weather; rain, to be precise.

With Governor Brown declaring a Drought State of Emergency on Jan. 17, the City of Chino Hills has confirmed a Stage II Moderate Water Conservation Alert in accordance with its Water Conservation Ordinance, effective immediately.

Nadeem Majaj, the City’s Director of Public Works, said, “Last year was the driest year on record in the State of California and Chino Hills is redoubling our efforts to use water carefully and to remind our residents that water conservation should be a way of life.”

According to the City, Stage II is declared when it is anticipated that the water supply may be reduced by up to 10%.  The California Department of Water Resources has indicated that the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), one of the providers of water imported to Chino Hills, will not receive any water from the State Water Project which originates from the Sacramento Delta.  However, because of improvements in water storage, water deliveries from MWD are not anticipated to be reduced.

“Chino Hills and our residents have been at the forefront of conservation,” Majaj continued.  “We are required as a community to reduce water use by 20 percent by the year 2020, and we are well on the way to achieving the state-mandated goal.”

Residents and readers in all cities can continue to conserve our precious resource by adhering to the following prohibitions and restrictions:

• Do not hose-wash sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, etc.
• Repair all residential and business water leaks.
• Do not water any outdoor landscaping between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Do not overwater landscaping, or allow water to run off into streets, sidewalks or other paved areas.  Keep sprinklers well maintained to prevent leaking.
• Wash vehicles, trailers, boats (and livestock) from a bucket, and quickly rinse with a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle.  Look for Car Wash businesses that use recycled water.

There are simple things you can do every day such as using a broom instead of a hose for outdoor cleanup, having fun contests to see who can take the shortest shower in the house, and not ordering water in restaurants unless you really plan on drinking it.  Did you know that you can save four gallons of water per minute just by turning the water off while brushing your teeth?  That is 200 gallons per week for a family of four!  You can also keep your eyes open and report concerns that you observe by calling the City’s Water Wise Hotline, at (909) 364-2850.

Water Conservation…every little drop helps.