How Cities Are Saving Water

Here is a city-by-city look at drought-related measures taken by water suppliers serving the Southeast/Long Beach area. Only mandatory measures are listed. Failure to comply with the measures could result in penalties ranging from fines to the interruption of water service. For more detailed information, contact the agency or company listed on your water bill.

* The water coming out of household taps in this area may have once been flushed down a toilet.

Each year, water officials let about 50,000 acre feet of reclaimed water seep into underground aquifers where it will eventually be drawn out of wells for drinking and other uses. Sewer water is filtered and treated at one of several plants operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. State health regulations do not allow the water to be sold directly for drinking. But it is safe to use to water parks, golf courses, for other irrigation and some manufacturing.

Los Angeles County and local water officials also have permission to use limited amounts of reclaimed water to replenish underground water supplies in the Southeast/Long Beach area. Bacteria in the ground further purifies the reclaimed water before it is drawn for household use, officials said. The average family consumes about half an acre foot of water a year.

* More than half of the water consumed by residents, business and industry in Southeast/Long Beach comes from wells while the rest is purchased from the Metropolitan Water District.

City water departments and independent water companies from Long Beach to Pico Rivera drew 172,853 acre feet out of wells last year. They bought 148,230 acre feet from the MWD for consumption during the same period. About another 50,000 acre feet were purchased to replenish ground water supplies.

The MWD imports water from Northern California and the Colorado River. Regional water officials are encouraging cities and independent water companies to draw more well water because underground aquifers are relatively full. That will reduce reliance on imported water in the fifth year of drought, which has left water supplies in Northern California low.

* Back yard swimming pools account for a significant amount of residential water consumption. According to the Metropolitan Water District, about 14.5% of homes in Southern California have pools. The average pool measures 15 by 30 feet, has a depth of 6.5 feet and holds 22,000 gallons. Among the ways to make pool use water-efficient are using a pool cover and turning off the pool heater. Both prevent evaporation of water. Uncovered, a pool can lose 70 gallons a day.

Cutbacks in Water Use

City Cutback Base (supplier) Ordered Period Artesia 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Artesia 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Bellflower 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Bell 10% cut 1990 usage (Maywood Mutual Water Co. 3) Bell Gardens 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Cerritos 375 gallon limit per day none (City water system) for residential users; commercial and industrial restrictions based on size of water mains Commerce 20% cut June 1, 1989- (City water system May 31, 1990 Commerce 20% cut May, 1989- (Californa Water Service Co.) June, 1990 Compton 10% cut 1990 usage (City water system) Compton 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Hawaiian Gardens 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Huntington Park 25% cut comparable 1990 (City water system) usage La Habra Heights 30% annual cut 1989 usage (County water district) starting June 10 Lakewood 337 gallon per day none (City water system) allocated to single- family homes; other restrictions vary Lakewood 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) La Mirada 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Long Beach 325 gallons per May, 1989- (City water system) day allocated to May, 1990 single-family homes, 275 gallons for duplexes and 200 gallons for each unit of an apartment complex; 20% cut mandated for industrial and commercial users Long Beach 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Lynwood 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Maywood 10% cut 1990 usage (Mutual Water Co. 3) Montebello 20% cut 1990 usage (City water system) Montebello 20% cut May, 1989- (Californa Water Service Co.) June, 1990 Norwalk 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 Norwalk 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Santa Fe Springs 10% cut March 1, 1990- (City water system) Feb. 18, 1991 Santa Fe Springs 20% cut June 1, 1989- (Park Water Co.) May 31, 1990 South Gate 375 gallons per none (City water system) day allocated for single-family homes, and similar restrictions for apartments, and for businesses and industry South Gate 20% cut 1990 usage (So. California Water Co.***) Whittier 25% cut 1989 usage (So. California Water Co.***)

City Exemption (supplier) Level* Artesia 150 (Park Water Co.) Artesia 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Bellflower 150 (Park Water Co.) Bell none (Maywood Mutual Water Co. 3) Bell Gardens 150 (Park Water Co.) Cerritos none (City water system) Commerce 150 (City water system Commerce 150 (Californa Water Service Co.) Compton 349 (City water system) Compton 150 (Park Water Co.) Hawaiian Gardens 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Huntington Park ** (City water system) La Habra Heights 675 (County water district) Lakewood none (City water system) Lakewood 300 (So. California Water Co.***) La Mirada 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Long Beach none (City water system) Long Beach 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Lynwood 150 (Park Water Co.) Maywood none (Mutual Water Co. 3) Montebello none (City water system) Montebello 150 (Californa Water Service Co.) Norwalk 150 (Park Water Co.) Norwalk 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Santa Fe Springs none (City water system) Santa Fe Springs 150 (Park Water Co.) South Gate none (City water system) South Gate 300 (So. California Water Co.***) Whittier 300 (So. California Water Co.***)

* Some water conservation plans exempt users from the restrictions if they use less than a stipulated number of gallons per day. Those exemption levels are indicated in this column.

** Huntington Park’s exemption level is 75% of the average water use in the city.

*** Complete name is Southern California Water Co.

Other Mandatory Measures

Artesia (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Artesia (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Bellflower (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Bellflower (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Bell Gardens (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on lawn watering on two days in a row Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Bell Gardens (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Cerritos (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Commerce (City water system No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Commerce (Calif. Water Service Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Compton (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on lawn watering on two days in a row Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Compton (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Downey (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Ban on lawn watering on two days in a row Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Hawaiian Gardens (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Huntington Park (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on lawn watering more than twice a week Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Lakewood (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on lawn watering more than twice a week Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Lakewood (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

La Mirada (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Long Beach (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Long Beach (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Lynwood (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Maywood (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on lawn watering on two days in a row Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Montebello (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on lawn watering more than twice a week Ban on lawn watering on two days in a row Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Montebello (Calif. Water Service Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Norwalk (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Norwalk (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Santa Fe Springs (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Santa Fe Springs (Park Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

South Gate (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

South Gate (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Whittier (city water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly

Whittier (So. Cal. Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Water in restaurants served only by request Water leaks must be repaired promptly