Efforts to reduce water use continue in Arcadia. Sprinkler station cycles are limited to 10 minutes. The new water use restrictions limit outdoor watering of grass and plants to two days per week, Tuesday and Saturday, before 9 AM and after 6 PM.
Due to increased precipitation upstate, Arcadia relaxes watering restrictions. Residents can now water lawns Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from May through October. From November through April, residents still limited to Tuesday and Saturday.
Arcadia City Council tightens regulations on water use. Outdoor irrigation citywide is restricted, by a newly passed ordinance, to 3 days a week-Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Watering is prohibited between 9 AM and 6 PM, in addition to "during and 48 hours after measurable rainfall." Arcadia City Council approves purchase of replacement water ahead of time. See hard copy in VF "Water."
Arcadia City Council will vote on a modest water conservation plan that will ban water usage in fountains, restrict water service at restaurants, and ban outdoor watering between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The City's plan is not as drastic as measures taken by many other California cities amid the state's severe drought conditions. The City is required to adopt a conservation plan following the State Water Resources Control Board's decision to impose emergency conservation regulations.
California has implemented mandatory watering conservation measures in order to save 25%, beginning June 1. Arcadia is required to cut up to 36% of its water use in the next 9 months, based on this community's previous water usage. Two articles on San Gabriel Valley water by Steve Scauzillo. See hard copy in VF Water.
The Arcadia City Council unanimously decided to allow music and entertainment events at the 320-acre Santa Anita Park on 30 days over the next year as part of a pilot program. Events can be scheduled for weekdays from 9 AM to 6 PM and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 AM to 11 PM.
State drought. Overall California residents cut water use by 27% in June, beating governor's mandate, but some cities fall short. Arcadia's target was a 36% reduction but in June, the city achieved a 28% reduction.
Arcadia issues $10,000 in fines since June to homeowners who have not been helping the city reach its water conservation rate of 36% amid California's worst drought on record, and installs flow restrictors on homes.
Speaker of the House John Boehner disagrees with Arcadia's water conservation policy. He posted on his Facebook page that Arcadia government's sign "It's green to go brown" is an example of "liberal environmentalists' backwards priorities and regressive ideology of restriction and scarcity." City manager Dominic Lazzaretto has a retort that Arcadia would happily accept thousands of acre-feet of water to keep our lawns green if he sent it but that our priority is drinking water during this drought.
Street closures for the 59th Annual Festival of Bands Parade hosted by City of Arcadia. Baldwin Avenue between Huntington Drive and Naomi Avenue will be closed 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Duarte Road between Golden West and El Monte Avenue closed 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and Campus Drive between Santa Anita Avenue and Holly Avenue closed 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
A popular fishing lake in Arcadia (Peck Road Water Conservation Park) was closed Thursday when 1,000 gallons of a gooey asphalt and water mixture oozed into it after 15,000 gallons of the substance leaked from a nearby Irwindale Plant.
Beginning October 1, Arcadians will pay more for their water. The increase will be in two steps. The first will be an increase of 6% per 100 cubic feet. The second will be dependent on possible increases in the Edison rates for pumping.
City Council approved closing First Avenue between Alta and California Streets from 6 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays from April 18 through Oct. 31. for a Farmer's Market.
Arcadia Postmaster Yvonne Carrillo changes Post Office Box Lobby hours due to vandalism and reports of homeless sleeping in the lobby after hours. Doors will be locked 5:30 PM Monday-Friday, 5:00 PM Saturday and 3:00 PM Sunday, effective May 1.
Arcadia to deliberate implementation of Phase I of prohibited water use at August 5 City Council meeting. The State Water Board recently adopted an Emergency Regulation for statewide urban water conservation. Photo of Peacock Fountain.