Placer County Water Agency shares ways residents can assist in conservation

With drought conditions and the need to conserve water, the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) hosted a webinar Wednesday to share the state of water supplies and how customers can help water conservation. According to Shane Motley, acting director of Energy Marketing and staff meteorologist for PCWA, the provider's snow courses are running at 32 percent of normal, with the statewide average at 38 percent of normal. "Given that we are dealing with this below-normal trend, we are still doing OK with what we're expecting this summer, with our water treatment from anything from recreation to our raw and treated water supplies, the environmental regulations that we have to abide by - we're going to be fine," Motley said. "One of the reasons for that, even though we have a very low snowpack right now, it's actually in part due to the October snowstorm." Motley said with the October storm saturating the soils and the December snowpack on top of that, more of the snowpack is expected to make it into the reservoirs this year, putting Placer County "in a better position than where we were last year at this time." Although water levels are expected to be better than the 2021 water year due to the winter storms, Motley confirmed the state is "technically in a drought right now" and this is "the driest three-year period that we have ever been in." PCWA staff provided clarification on Executive Order N-7-22, issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on March 28 as guidance on mitigating the effects of drought conditions. "(Newsom) did call on all Californians to strive to limit summertime water use," said Linda Higgins, deputy director of customer service for PCWA. "He also is directing water providers that have adopted a water shortage contingency plan, kind of like an emergency plan, to implement a Stage 2 of that plan and take actions to achieve up to a 20-percent conservation." Higgins said the executive order also directs the Water Resources Control Board to consider the adoption of emergency rules to prohibit watering of non-functional turf for commercial, industrial and institutional customers. Higgins defined non-functional turf as areas that are not able to be used or watered efficiently, such as a median between streets. In response to the executive order, Higgins said PCWA is asking customers to do the following: Replace older sprinklers with more efficient nozzles. Check soil moisture before turning sprinklers on. Customers can also pick up a moisture meter from the main office at 144 Ferguson Road in Auburn or at a PCWA event. Limit watering landscape to three days per week. Ensure to water trees if you cut back on watering your landscape. Put down mulch 2-3 inches deep, as it helps retain moisture and keep plant roots cool. Higgins also shared PCWA's rebate programs, which include up to $1,000 to replace lawn with water-efficient plants, up to $500 for new high-efficiency sprinklers and drip irrigation, up to $250 for a WaterSense-labeled sprinkler timer and up to $50 for a new pool cover. For more information, visit pcwa.net or email questions to info@pcwa.net.