San Juan Water Agencies urge 20 percent water use reduction

Granite Bay, Calif. – Citrus Heights Water District, Fair Oaks Water District, Orange Vale Water Company and San Juan Water District retail service area agencies that provide drinking water to more than 265,000 people in portions of Sacramento and Placer county, announced today a new 20 percent water reduction request to its retail customers. The warning strongly urges all customers to reduce water use by 20 percent.

Under a shortage policy, San Juan has reduced water supplies by 20 percent to its wholesale customers –
Fair Oaks Water District, Citrus Heights Water District, Orange Vale Water Company, San Juan Water District retail service area and a portion of the city of Folsom (north of the American River).

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

As a result, all the agencies – called the San Juan Family of Water Agencies – have declared the 20 percent water reduction warning in order to preserve surface water supplies.

‘Right now, Folsom Reservoir is around 30 percent of capacity with a water surface elevation of 398 feet,’ said San Juan General Manager Shauna Lorance. ‘The minimum water level that can supply our intake and pump station is 332 feet. Our intake is where we withdraw and distribute water from Folsom Lake. If we don’t receive significant rain and snow this spring, we anticipate even lower lake levels which will limit
Folsom pump station’s pumping capacity.’

If there is not significant rain and snow this spring, all agencies within the San Juan Family – except San Juan’s retail service area, which relies entirely on surface water – will pump additional groundwater supplies to benefit San Juan’s retail area. This will help relieve surface water demand and fend off potential surface water pumping limitations. San Juan’s retail agency serves customers in Granite Bay, east Roseville and the northeast portion of Sacramento County.

‘Despite the recent rain, we’re facing dangerously low water supplies,’ Lorance added. ‘And, with spring and summer coming, it’s critical for everyone to use water efficiently and conserve as much as possible. If conditions do not improve next month, customers are likely to face more stringent water restrictions.’

To help customers reduce water use by 20 percent, the agencies offer free water efficiency programs and consultations. Some tips for indoor and outdoor watering include:

Indoor Water Use Tips
1. Install ultra-low-flush or high-efficiency
toilets (save up to 650 gallons per month)
2. Install a low-flow showerhead (save up to
800 gallons per month)
3. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
(save up to 10 gallons per day)
4. Use a high-efficiency washing machine (save

Outdoor Water Use Tips
1. Complete outdoor watering between midnight
and noon when less water is lost due to heat and
evaporation
2. Install an evapotranspiration (ET) or weatherbased
irrigation controller to increase outdoor
water efficiency
3. Check your irrigation system for leaks, clogs or
misdirected sprinklers and emitters; fix what’s
more than 16 gallons per load)
5. Repair a leaky faucet (save up to 430 gallons
per month)
6. Install a low-flow faucet aerator (save more
than 140 gallons per month)
7. Fix toilet leaks (save up to 500 gallons of
water per day)
8. Locate water shut-off valves (could save
hundreds of gallons of water if a pipe bursts)
9. Run dishwashers and washing machines only
when full
10. Limit showers to 10 minutes or less
necessary
4. Avoid outdoor watering on windy days since
some water will blow away
5. Utilize rotor sprinklers to ensure even water
distribution (rotor and impact sprinklers should
never be mixed in the same zone)
6. Split irrigation into two shorter cycles allowing
water to penetrate the soil and reduce runoff
7. Use a broom instead of the water hose for
cleaning sidewalks and driveways
8. Apply mulch to plants and shrubs to keep soil
cool and reduce water evaporation

For more information, customers are encouraged to contact their water provider:
• San Juan Water District – SJWD.org, (916) 791-2663
• Citrus Heights Water District – CHWD.org, (916) 725-6873
• Fair Oaks Water District – FOWD.com, (916) 967-0153
• Orange Vale Water Company – (916) 988-1693
• City of Folsom – folsom.ca.us, (916) 355-7252