Foothill Municipal Water District’s board increased its drought conservation level to orange, which means two days a week watering for customers effective June 1. Based on the unprecedented drought and local groundwater levels, the board decided it is appropriate to further limit watering and conserve water in storage for future use. Most of Foothill’s retail agencies are already at two-day a week watering or are planning to follow suit. Customers should check with their retail provider for days of the week watering for their area.

“Metropolitan Water District of Southern California took the extraordinary step of adopting an Emergency Water Conservation Program for its State Water Project only dependent areas. Although Metropolitan has planned for droughts and stored water for such eventualities, climate change has surpassed its planning efforts,” said Foothill Municipal Water District Board President Richard Atwater. “Metropolitan is now modifying its distribution system to help those areas severely impacted by this drought. It will also be reviewing, through its Integrated Resources Planning efforts, more ways to support Southern California against the impacts of droughts.”

“Foothill’s area has three sources of water: the State Water Project, the Colorado River and groundwater through the Raymond and Verdugo Basins so we do not fall under the newly adopted Emergency Program. However, we need to be aware that all sources of our water are impacted by drought and be efficient with our water use,” said Foothill General Manager Nina Jazmadarian.

Even though there were storms in October and December 2021, January, thru March 2022 were the driest on record. Because of that, the State Water Project reduced the amount of water it can deliver to Southern California from 15% of entitlement to 5% of entitlement. As a result, the Metropolitan board adopted the Emergency Water Conservation Program for areas that can only receive State Water Project. This Program will impact more than six million people, who will be at health and safety levels for water usage. Customers will be limited in the amount of water they can use or limited to one-day a week watering. If that conservation is not enough, watering lawns will be eliminated.

On the Colorado River, although there is enough for now because of the amount of storage that exists on the River’s system, a 20-year drought has had significant impacts and California could be facing reduced deliveries in the next two years. Already, because of the drought, power generation is being impacted as releases from Glen Canyon Dam are curtailed.

On the local level, the Raymond Basin and Verdugo Basin water levels are at historic lows. Wells designed to pump a certain amount per day are no longer able to do so because of the drop in groundwater.

“With the District’s three sources of water impacted by drought, it is important that we conserve to stretch water stored in reservoirs should the drought continue into next year,” said President Atwater.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California offers rebates to residential customers for the purchase of water conserving devices such as premium high efficiency toilets, high efficiency clothes washers, leak-detection devices and weather-based irrigation controllers.

“Converting to devices that use less water is an easy way to conserve water,” said Foothill General Manager Nina Jazmadarian.

Be sure to visit BeWaterWise.com and FMWD.com for water conservation rebates.

Foothill Municipal Water District provides imported water to Crescenta Valley Water District, La Cañada Irrigation District, Liberty Utilities (formerly Mesa Crest Water Company), Valley Water Company, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, Las Flores Water Company and Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association. Kinneloa Irrigation District, another retail agency, takes no water from Foothill.