Governor Proclaims Drought and How You Can Help
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims Drought, Orders Immediate Action to Address Situation
On 6/4/2008, Governor Schwarzenegger took a fairly unprecedented and very important action of issuing an Executive Over on drought conditions and directing immediate state action to deal with the crisis. Last month, the final Department of Water Resources (DWR) snow survey of 2008 showed snowpack water content at only 67 percent and the runoff forecast at only 55 percent of normal. Conditions continue to worsen across California. This follows two consecutive years of below-average rainfall and very low snowmelt runoff.
The City of Davis continues to help residents save water by providing water leak checks, or water use analysis, both programs are FREE OF CHARGE.
water leak check:
- a trained technician will come to your home and check for indoor, outdoor and whole system leaks
- a report is provided with finding and recommendations
- did you know you can report a broken sprinkler head? If you see a broken sprinkler head (on public or private property), please submit a message via the citizen request manager at: www.cityofdavis.org/crm/ or call Public Works at 757-5686.
water use analysis:
- a trained technician will come to your home and check for indoor, outdoor and whole system leaks
- toilets are checked for leaks
- shower head and faucet flow rates are measured
- efficiency of the irrigation system is evaluated
- technician may recommend an irrigation water schedule or identify irrigation leaks
- a report is provided with finding and recommendations
- water efficiency program materials and tips are provided
To request a free water leak check or water use analysis, please call Public Works at 757-5686 during business hours.
Water Efficient Clothes Washers
It is estimated that water efficient clothes washers may save up to 6,270 gallons of water per year. Single family residential account holders may qualify for a washer rebate by following this link:
- Washer Rebate page
- or call Public Works at 757-5686 during business hours for more information.
Customers need not to spend money in order to save money. In fact, water conservation will cut down on utility bills. Here is 100 ways you can help during the drought, save money, and use water wisely:
Some simple ways to save water include:
- Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest, this reduces losses from evaporation.
- Don't allow sprinklers to water your street, driveway, or sidewalk. Position them so water lands on the lawn and shrubs, not the paved areas.
- Set your mower blades so they cut grass about 2 to 3 inches tall. Mowing it shorter dries out the soil faster and increases water use.
- Mulch plants to reduce evaporation and weed growth.
- Install a toilet dam or displacement device (bag or bottle filled with water) to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush. Maker sure installation does not interfere with the operating parts.
- Put bathroom trash in the waste basket instead of flushing it down the toilet.
- Run the clothes washer and dishwasher with full loads.
- Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
- Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing of food waste, instead of using a garbage disposal.
More water conservations tips can be found online here:
For more information, contact Public Works at 757-5686 or visit the state’s website at:
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