With severe drought conditions statewide, residents and businesses need to reduce water use immediately to save stored water reserves for 2015.

The San Diego County Water Authority has declared a Drought Alert condition, and mandatory water-saving restrictions are in effect across the region. Requirements vary by local water agency, but they include:

• Limiting outdoor watering days and times
• Watering only during the late evening or early morning hours
• Eliminating runoff from irrigation systems
• Repairing all leaks within 72 hours
• Turning off water fountains and other water features unless they recycle water
• Using hoses with shut-off valves for washing cars (or patronizing commercial car washes that re-circulate water)
• Serving water to restaurant patrons only upon request
• Offering hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily
• Using recycled or non-potable water for construction when available

The Water Authority is not anticipating cutbacks to its imported water supplies this year that would trigger mandatory supply cutbacks to its member agencies. Allocations could happen in 2015 if conditions don’t improve, but regional investments in water supply reliability such as independent Colorado River water transfers and the Carlsbad Desalination Project will help offset the impacts of any supply reductions.

For more details about the drought, including links to water-use rules by local agencies, go to WhenInDrought.org. The webpage also includes a link to the Water Authority’s online conservation portal WaterSmartSD.org, which offers numerous water-saving incentives, free water-use evaluations, classes on WaterSmart landscaping and a home water-use calculator.