The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is asking customers to pause all outdoor water use Dec. 14-22, while scheduled maintenance at Castaic Lake temporarily limits the agency’s imported water supply.

The California Department of Water Resources will be repairing a pipeline at Castaic Lake, which requires closing SCV Water’s connection. SCV Water does not have any maintenance or repair work planned during this shutdown.

SCV Water is taking steps to prepare for scheduled maintenance and is asking customers to work together and do their part to save water from Dec. 14-22. During that time, outdoor water use should be completely turned off so available supplies can be reserved for indoor needs, health and safety and emergencies. The shut-off request extends to all outdoor water uses including, but not limited to:

— Irrigating personal landscapes or common areas in business parks or HOAs

— Washing vehicles by hand

— Filling or refilling pools

— Using water for grading in new developments

— Any other major uses of water that can be postponed until the following week

This conservation effort will help ensure reliable water service for everyone during the repair period.

Prior to the shutdown, customers can do a few things to prepare:

— Irrigate your landscape before Dec. 14. SCV soils are mostly clay, which absorbs water slowly and can cause runoff if overwatered. To prevent runoff, run your irrigation in several short cycles (usually 5 minutes or less), allowing about an hour between cycles for the water to soak in before repeating the cycle one to two more times.

Most landscapes can go longer without water than you might expect. At this time of year, it’s common to water only one to two days per week during hot weather and one day or less with normal winter conditions.

— Before you go to bed on Saturday, Dec. 13, take a moment to shut off your outdoor irrigation system.

— Check for and repair any noticeable leaks in and around your home or business.

How to do a home leak investigation: https://youtu.be/W_xCndTSDbs.

How to fix a toilet leak: https://youtu.be/VQ66-n3GoKQ.

Everyone plays an important role in using water wisely and saving it when they can, where they can.

Outdoor water use can resume at noon on Monday, Dec. 22.

During the shutdown, SCV Water will rely on local groundwater and stored imported water, with storage facilities filled to capacity in advance.

About half of the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply is local, while the other half comes from imported sources like the State Water Project. Water in Castaic Lake will remain, but it won’t be available during maintenance.

This conservation effort addresses a temporary delivery interruption—not a shortage, and normal water service will resume once maintenance is complete.

Routine maintenance is essential for keeping SCV Water’s system safe, efficient, and reliable. Skipping or delaying maintenance can reduce system performance and increase the risk of infrastructure failure, leading to costly emergency repairs and widespread service disruptions.

Municipal water systems operate 24/7, so annual maintenance helps extend infrastructure life, improve performance, and lower future repair costs.

This work is scheduled in two phases, December 2025 and February 2026,to complete repairs smoothly without straining the system or significantly impacting customers’ water supply. A second outdoor water use pause notice will be issued prior to the February shutdown.

To learn more, visit: yourSCVwater.com/castaic-lake-maintenance.

The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to more than 75,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on Jan. 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider.

More information can be found at www.yourSCVwater.com.