After a record-breaking winter snowpack and precipitation, SCV Water has deactivated its Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Water Conservation and Water Supply Shortage Ordinance.

The Agency now returns to its normal water conservation and water use efficiency program conditions. SCV Water’s water conservation programs provide customers with education, rebates, and incentives to implement long-term water use efficiency practices, ensuring sustainability for the future.

This transition follows California Governor Gavin Newsom lifting the voluntary conservation call and the State Water Resources Control Board’s Stage 2 water shortage implementation requirement.

“Record rain and snowpack filling the state’s reservoirs, along with changes to statewide drought emergency compliance requirements, have led us to move from Stage 2 to a No Shortage Stage,” said General Manager Matt Stone. “We are thankful for our community’s response and dedication to reducing water waste and consumption during Stage 2. Together, we have saved a remarkable 4.1 billion gallons, equivalent to a 16.4% reduction. As we move forward, we kindly urge everyone to keep embracing the spirit of conservation, making it part of our California Way of Life.”

With the Governor’s statewide drought emergency declaration still in effect, the State Water Resources Control Board has continued emergency regulations that restrict water waste activities. Though SCV Water is in a No Shortage Stage, the public is reminded that the following activities are prohibited:

-Allowing runoff when watering with potable water.
-Using potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways, except for health or safety reasons.
-Using hoses with no shutoff nozzles to wash cars.
-Watering outdoors during and within 48 hours following measurable rainfall.
-Using potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water.
-Using potable water to irrigate non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional sites. Potable water is not prohibited to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial non-turf plantings or for health and safety needs.

Although the Agency has moved toward hitting its planned yearly conservation targets, its banked water supplies, stored in Kern County, need to be replenished. Continued conservation by SCV Water customers will ensure the Agency can replenish the 45 percent of banked water used during the drought and grow its banked supply for future years.

“Even though we are currently not experiencing any water shortages, now is the perfect opportunity for customers to work towards creating their own sustainable landscapes,” said Stone. “By establishing a drought-resilient landscape now, customers will be better prepared to handle any future droughts or drastic shifts in climate or water supply.”

SCV Water offers a variety of rebates and programs to help customers save water and money. Rebates and programs include lawn replacement, irrigation and efficiency product rebates, free home check-ups, workshops and more. Visit the SCV Water website for full details.

“Providing our customers with the tools, technologies and resources they need to conserve water now for the future is a top priority,” said Stone