California's Water Supply Crisis

    Last Updated (Wednesday, 11 August 2010 20:07)

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    California’s Water Supply: In Crisis

    Water Reserve Levels

    There is a very real water shortage in California, caused by:

    • A judicial order to curtail water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to 50%-60% of normal levels
    • An 8-year drought on the Colorado River
    • Limited local rainfall during 2008 and 2009

    As a result, the Metropolitan Water District’s (MWD) water supplies are limited. This impacts us as Burbank receives most of our water from MWD. The bottom line is that using water wisely is required every day from every one of us!

    Burbank has responded to the water supply crisis in a number of ways. Watering lawns is limited to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays only; fines can be assessed for wasting water; businesses must meet plumbing code standards by October 31, 2010 or face a water use surcharge; the use of recycled water for irrigation of parks and other large landscaped areas is being accelerated; and properties resold in Burbank must meet specific plumbing efficiency standards. BWP has also instituted a number of water-saving programs to help residents and businesses in Burbank reduce their water usage. The good news is that all of these efforts are working and Burbank is using significantly less water! Congratulations to the entire city and thank you for your ongoing efforts to save water!

    Please click on the links below for information on:

    1. Burbank’s Irrigation Watering Limits
    2. Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Practices Ordinance
    3. How to Report a Wasteful Water Use
    4. Water Conservation is Working
    5. YOU can make a difference!
    6. Additional information you may be interested in
    7. Retrofit Upon Resale Requirement

     

    1.  Burbank's Irrigation Watering Limits

    Burbank limits landscape irrigation to 3 days per week year-round. The allowable watering days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  The time limit is no more than 15 minutes per day per irrigation station and watering can only occur before 9:00 AM and after 6:00 PM.  Watering by hand is allowable any day of the week.

    This is a necessary step to conserve water and we thank all Burbank residents and businesses for complying with this requirement.

    Did You Know? Watering our Lawns and Gardens Uses the Most Water

    More than half of the water we use goes to watering lawns and gardens. If you are watering more than 3 times a week, you are probably over-watering your lawn.  It has been estimated that we can cut our total water consumption by over 25% with appropriate irrigation!

    So, what is “appropriate irrigation”? We asked the experts and received this rule of thumb: Water no more than 3 times weekly in warmer weather and just once weekly in cooler weather.  Apply ½” of water each time you water, but do so slowly to allow the water to get down to the roots of your grass and plants.

     

    2. Burbank's Sustainable Water Use Practices Ordinance

    It’s the law! Burbank does not allow the wasteful uses of water listed below:

    Burbank Residents and Businesses: Illegal Uses of Water

    • Do not water outdoor landscaped areas on rainy days and at least two days after.
    • Do not water outdoor landscaped areas between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. unless you are watering by hand.
    • Adjust sprinklers and irrigation systems to eliminate overspray and avoid run-off into streets, sidewalks, parking lots, alleys, or other paved surfaces.
    • Do not hose or wash driveways, patios, sidewalks, or other hard or paved surfaces with a garden hose.
    • When washing vehicles, use a bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive self-closing water shut-off device.
    • Leaks from plumbing fixtures and irrigation sprinkler systems must be repaired within seven days of discovering the leak.

    Burbank Businesses: Additional Illegal Uses of Water

    • Do not serve drinking water, unless specifically requested by customers, in all restaurants, hotels, and other public places where food is sold.
    • Hotels and motels must provide customers the option of not having towels and linen laundered daily. Prominent display of this option is required for each bathroom.
    • Food preparation establishments, such as restaurants or cafes, are prohibited from using non-water conserving dish wash spray valves.

    To view the entire Sustainable Water Use Ordinance, click here.

    3. What to do if You Observe a Wasteful Water Practice

    People sometimes just need to be educated or reminded about wasteful water practices. If you notice a use of water that is wasteful here in Burbank, please feel free to bring it to our attention if you feel uncomfortable addressing the situation directly with the homeowner or business. Simply fill out this “Water Waste Observed” online form and we will send a letter to the address you specify.

    4. Water Conservation is Working

    For the past three years, we’ve been asking Burbank residents and businesses to conserve water in response to California’s water supply crisis.  Here’s an update on how Burbank is doing. 

    Total Water Use in Burbank has Dropped 11%


    Total water consumed in Burbank dropped by 864 million gallons from 2007 to 2009, an 11.3% decline.  An average daily water use per person can be derived by taking the total amount of water consumed and dividing it by both Burbank’s population and 365 days. 

    Burbank has done a great job so far in conserving water, but there is more work to be done. Reliable water supply will be a topic of concern in California for many years to come. This concern was recently ratified by California’s legislature with Senate Bill X7-7, a law that requires all state water agencies to reduce water use 20% by 2020 against a specific baseline. Burbank's baseline of daily per person water use is 194 gallons. The 20% by 2020 goal that we are striving for is a daily average of 155 gallons of water used per person throughout the year. Burbanks's current average use per person is 173 gallons, so we still need to reduce usage by at least 10%. The tricky part lies not so much in reducing our water usage, but in maintaining reduced levels. We got lucky this year with a fair amount of rain that kept grass green without having to do a lot of extra irrigation. However, as soon as the weather changes, it could be a challenge to keep the demand for water from surging.

    Water Consumption in Burbank

    Burbank Residents Have Been Very Responsive

    Residents use about three-fourths of all the water consumed in Burbank, so our initial water-saving efforts focused on residential use.  We are exceptionally pleased to report that Burbank’s residents have responded to the call for water conservation and have significantly reduced the amount of water used over the past three years.  A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have embraced the need to conserve water!

    Residential Water Consumption in Burbank

    Single-Family vs. Multi-Family Differences:  The average daily per person water use is about 33 gallons for those living in apartment buildings, with limited variation from month to month.  However, the range of daily per person water use by those living in single-family homes varies dramatically throughout the year, from 41 to 97 gallons per person per day.  Warmer weather drives the amount of water needed to irrigate lawns, which is the single largest water use in Burbank.  

    Greater Focus on Business

    From 2007 to 2009, Burbank’s businesses reduced their water usage by nearly 8% and are mandated to continue taking actions to conserve water.  In 2009, Burbank’s City Council required that all businesses, including apartment buildings, meet high efficiency standards for toilets, urinals, showerheads, and kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators by October 31, 2010.  By upgrading older plumbing equipment, significant and durable water savings will result.  Any business failing to meet the requirements by October 31st will be assessed a 25% surcharge on the water used in their facility. 

    5. YOU Can Make a Difference!

    After two solid years of water conservation efforts, the amount of water consumed in Burbank is about 173 gallons a day per person.  By law, we need to continue to reduce water usage to no more than 155 gallons per person by 2020.  Simple actions taken by each of us can dramatically reduce water use, and together we will meet our goal!

    Does cutting back mean I have to do without?

    N o. While some people are really diligent about water conservation, most of us have a lot of room for improvement. For instance:

    • Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth?
      • If so, you’re wasting 2 gallons every minute the water runs.
    • What about when you are washing dishes?
      • If you only run the water when you actually need to, you’ll save 2-1/2 gallons per minute.
    • How long is your shower?
      • Shaving off just two minutes from your shower saves 5 gallons of water.

    Small actions add up to big impacts. For many more tips on how to save water, please click here.

    6. More Information You May Be Interested In