Most Valencia Water Company customers are taking positive steps to save water during California’s historic drought. A recent canvassing of the service territory found very few cases of water waste or violations of state and local water restriction rules, the company reported.
The drought inspection was conducted in the morning hours over three days to reach all customers directly to make sure they fully understood the watering restrictions, and to provide answers and additional information. During the inspection of more than 30,000 customer connections, water company personnel issued 258 warning notices because of excessive watering (landscape watering that flowed off properties onto sidewalks and into the streets), watering on the wrong day or at the wrong time of day.
“Valencia Water Company is very pleased by what we saw. The vast majority of customers are being responsible with their water use during these extremely dry conditions,” said Keith Abercrombie, Valencia Water Company’s general manager. “In cases where we observed violations, these are very easy to fix and we’re actively working with those customers.”
Many water agencies across California have dedicated patrols to spot water-wasting incidents. Valencia Water Company does not have such a patrol. Instead, it chose to first give all customers advance notice of the dates of the canvassing and then used a team of service employees to do a service territory drought inspection on July 13, 14 and 15.
“Customers have been asked to make changes in their watering habits. These include adjusting their sprinklers to a twice-a-week schedule, not hosing down sidewalks and ensuring their irrigation systems are not broken or watering driveways and sidewalks. We offered customers a time frame to make any final adjustments or correct problems before our canvassing period,” said Matt Dickens, Resource Conservation Manager.
The canvassing is among many VWC programs to ensure it meets state requirements to reduce water use by 24 percent. Under regulations that went into effect June 1, 2015, water companies and agencies throughout California are now required to reduce water use by specific percentages through the end of February 2016. Valencia Water Company’s mandate is to reduce water by 24 percent from comparable months in 2013. In response to this mandate, Valencia Water Company has limited outdoor watering to twice a week and only during nighttime hours. State rules require homes and businesses to prevent over-watering that sends irrigation water onto sidewalks and pavement, among other restrictions.
During the recent canvassing, water company personnel also had front-yard conversations with about 40 customers who had questions about drought restrictions or how to make proper adjustments in their outdoor watering systems.
“These were all pleasant conversations with our customers, which tells us that our communication efforts are working. Since the drought began, we’ve told our customers we’re in this together. We’re here to help,” Dickens said.
Information about rebates for water-saving devices, free items and water conservation tips are available on the Valencia Water Company website www.valenciawater.com or by calling 661-294-0828. For regular tips and updates, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @ValenciaWater. Together, we’ll save water.
About Valencia Water Company
Valencia Water Company serves approximately 118,000 people in the Santa Clarita Valley, including Valencia, Stevenson Ranch and portions of Newhall, Saugus and Castaic. Valencia supplies its customers with high-quality water supplied from local wells and from imported supplies. Valencia has served the Santa Clarita Valley since 1965. Valencia Water Company can be reached at: www.valenciawater.com or 661-294-0828.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
34 Comments
what a big lie now I’ve seen people wasting more water than ever before especially now with this hot
Yeah, saw the trucks around the neighborhood a week or so ago. I wish businesses had to comply.
Every1s lawn still remains nice and green. Why not?
What about Bridgeport? I highly doubt they are seeing any water restrictions with their massive ponds of what is essentially, West Nile in a bucket.
Kim Gibbs
lol they should go by during very early moring around 2-5 AM, around neighborhoods and see who still watering, FYI Still wasting water.
Actually that’s when we water on mon. And thurs. Why is that a problem?
Not if that’s your schedule days. I’ve seen home with their sprinkles on everyday that early. I get really erk seeing this, then Knowing others like ourselves are trying to conserve water.
Go park on 14 freeway before sand canyon and look at new project and all the water being used scv water building in wash what a joke
I was thinking the same thing.. There’s a big reservoir full of water over there for what reason? To build a new street maybe? And then to line that block with more houses to use up the rest of the water the consruction doesn’t use.. SMH
Crazy huh
Yea but u raise water prices! U expect us to conserve but when we do u raise prices! BS
Funny thing is, the CITY drives around in the big water truck andwaters the trees on Bouquet canyon at 2 pm in the after noon, the day after all the rain we had. And again today at 2 pm in the heat of the afternoon??? Hum mm
Does anybody remember what blue skies and real clouds look like? For years jet aircraft have been spraying chemicals all over the area and nobody says anything when we have bizarro weather situations.
and wat bout the stupid guy driven around with a tank of water “watering the trees but leaves water open to the whole side walk is wet!!!
Artificial grass!!! That’s the way to go!!!
No, it’s not.
Yes it is!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe you guys should come checkout my neighbor that is washing down his driveway and sidewalk every time I walk outside, every Saturday he cuts his lawn and then washes every square inch of his yard. Sunday I walk out and he’s pressure washing the crack in the street.. Someone should fine him fat!
It’s our duty to report these idiots!! Go To santaclaritawater.com, “Report Water Waste”. There’s even a place to upload that picture.
Do it! But he may key your car or poison your dog. Don’t post a pic or he’ll know it’s you.
He’ll find the business end of me!!!
And out come the finger pointers. Can’t you all conserve what YOU can, and stop trying to list reasons why it’s not fair?
Try coming around at 11:00 pm when the median sprinklers turn on watering the mailboxes in Backbay @ Bridgeport
Excuse me, but I just traveled west on magic mountain parkway to tourney road yesterday! Unless they use magic green water for ten minutes twice a week, they parkways are being watered a whole lot more often. Green and juicy!
Then I was on Decoro east of solement, in Saugus.Every lawn looked like they were all following the law. And it rained everywhere! Next time I’ll go through another part of the valley on cheater watch.
Make sure you work that neck flubber the next time you’re out rubbernecking.
Hahaha. Does my report offend you? Guess you don’t live on Decoro. ?
Dave, you need to upgrade your phone, I can hardly recognize that person as being anyone I know. That waddle does bug me too. ???
I saw a billboard that says to contact scvh20.org of you see water wasting- including the city’s
The residents in Stevenson Ranch need to be checking their sprinkler systems as I have been doing the last week. I live in a home there that was built in the mid 90’s and we are having major problems with the sprinkler system breaking at the faulty elbow joint underground where the sprinkler head attaches to. Considering most of these homes were built at the same time by the same builder, I can nearly guarantee there are a lot of people effected and they don’t even know about it. I’ve replaced four broken joints within the last week and likely have more to go. Turn on your sprinklers for a few minutes and then take the time to walk on the grass around the heads. If it feels like a waterbed or very soggy, you likely have a broken connection. It’s a 49 cent part that’s not too difficult to replace, just time consuming and dirty.
With all the restrictions, the CITY just finished building islands with planters all along Railroad Avenue! Way to conserve there, guys. #setabetterexample #shouldhavegonefake
Just stop spreading the propaganda, there is nothing wrong with green grass.
Don’t believe it for 1 minute I live in canyon country and have reported the water running down both sides on the street I use to get home numerous times. It runs and puddles at the end of the block at least 4 days a week. One house which is on a dirt road the water run off has destroyed the road. No one does anything about it. I guess Report waste is just a joke.