Since the last drought, Tri-Valley residents have made great
strides in embracing water wise habits, conserving this precious
resource so that we continue to have enough water to support the
economic vitality of the Tri-Valley. However, our state and
community’s water future remains uncertain due to precipitation
variability and a changing climate. It is more important than
ever, that our community continue to embrace and adopt water
conservation as a way of life.
The why of water conservation:
-
Extra dry seasons mean less snowmelt, which
unfortunately means there is less water traveling to our
area. While we have some infrastructure in place to capture
water closer to home, and more on the way, it is not
currently enough to provide all of the water we need for you.
Dry years mean that the imported water that we rely heavily
on may be unavailable or can come at a high cost.
-
Conservation hesitation is something we
notice when we are not officially in a drought. Zone 7 wants
to help all of our customers adopt water wise routines every
day, drought or not, so water efficiency is a habit and less
of a burden.
-
Water availability has been challenged, but
not yet completely restricted. This can change. While we are
investing in projects to keep water flowing to you, we cannot
continue to assume that imported water sources will always be
available to us. Conservation efforts must be part of our
long term plan.
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Consciousness and convenience is why we
offer many rebate programs. Using water efficiently should
not be overly complicated, but it makes a big difference.
Visit our Rebate
Programs page for more information.
The how of water conservation:
-
Fix your leaks to resolve the number one way
that water is wasted at home. You’ll save money on your
monthly bill and allow us to conserve water on a regional
level, otherwise known as a win-win.
-
Use high-efficiency appliances to save water
without changing your habits. Clothes washers and toilets are
the big water users, and just by upgrading to new
high-efficiency (HE) appliances, you can save water and
energy.
-
Transform your lawn to make the biggest
water saving impact. About 50% of water is used for outdoor
irrigation. Transforming your lawn with drought resistant and
native plants is easy, can save you money, and is great for
the environment, improving soil health and creating natural
habitats for birds, bees, butterflies and more. A bonus,
native and low-water plants also require less maintenance and
can fill your yard with color and interest. What’s even
better, we have a rebate to help you get started. Visit
our Water-Effecient
Lawn Conversion page for more information.
-
Mind your water manners and turn off faucets
when you are not actively using water. Brushing your teeth,
scrubbing dishes, and waiting for warm shower water are three
great examples of activities that could use less water if we
are minding our pauses (Ps) and quantities (Qs).
