To help stretch current supplies and avoid a drought, the Santa
Clara Valley Water District is asking for voluntary conservation
throughout the county, and are offering free programs to help
residents, business owners and growers conserve water.
To help stretch current supplies and avoid a drought, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is asking for voluntary conservation throughout the county, and are offering free programs to help residents, business owners and growers conserve water.
”We live in a drought-prone area, as those of us who lived through seven years of it in the late 1980s and early ’90s remember all too well,” said Joe Judge, chairman of the water district’s board of directors. “It’s way too early to say when and if another drought may be on the horizon, but we have an opportunity now to change our behaviors and make the most out of what little water is available today.”
The request comes on the heels of the district’s rate increase of 25 percent that goes into effect beginning in July, costing residents an additional $16 a year. Farmers will see an increase of thousands of dollars.
The statewide water shortage is a result of an early snowmelt, lower precipitation last winter, a recent levee break in Stockton and increasing demands on water. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is fed by snow that falls in the Sierra Nevada mountains, serves about 22 million Californians.
Unfortunately, much of that snowfall was lost during an uncommon heat wave in March, leaving less water than usual for the delta. Additionally, some of that water was lost when the delta levee broke west of Stockton on June 3.
Free programs to meet the water-saving challenge are offered to residents, including the water-wise house call, high-efficiency toilet rebate, washing machine rebate and water-wise plant programs. Residents can schedule an appointment with a water surveyor to visit their home and conduct a water-wise house call. Surveyors review water use both inside and outside the residence, provide an irrigation schedule for outside gardens and lawns and may provide low-flow shower-heads and aerators if needed. These devices can save up to 20 gallons of water a day in one home alone.
Californians can receive a rebate of up to $125 for replacing high-water use toilets, 3.5 gallons per flush or more, with ones that use at least 20 percent less water. Also, by replacing washing machines before June 30, residents can get a $50 rebate, save money on electricity, detergent and water bills and reserve 5,100 gallons of water for other uses.
Business owners also may take advantage of the programs and receive free evaluations of irrigation systems for large landscaped areas, rebates for changing its practices to conserve water and reduce the amount of wastewater it generates or a rebate for up to $450 for high-efficiency commercial washing machines. Owners will save an average $220 annually in water, electricity and sewer costs for each washing machine they replace and may even be eligible for a tax credit. Any business whose conservation project reduces waste water discharge by 74,800 gallons or more annually can qualify for a rebate of up to $50,000.
Local growers can receive an online irrigation ‘calculator’ which takes into account the crop being raised, local weather conditions and the amount of sunshine on a crop at noon. This way, crops can grow strong and healthy without wasting water.
To learn more ways to save our local water visit the Santa Clara Valley Water District Web site at www.valleywater.org.
