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.
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 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.
Arcadia likely to spend $2 million on imported water for city supply. City Council will vote today on a proposal to buy 3,000 acre-feet of water to supplement the city's water demands for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, from Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster.
Arcadia unanimously adopts resolution for mandatory water prohibitions to support water conservation. These prohibitions are unique to Arcadia and include: no hose washing, no lawn, landscape, or turf areas to be watered between 10am and 4pm. No leaks permitted. No drinking water to be served unless customer requests.
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.
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.
Drought ordinance approved. Beginning April 22, 2015, Arcadia water customers can water on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, after 6:00 PM and before 9:00 AM only.
Forest bathing is the latest thing to do at the Arboretum in Arcadia. It is a new program for people to immerse themselves among trees and leave the mind, body and soul at ease.
Arcadia city wants ban on single-use plastic bags just 6 months before a statewide referendum goes to California voters. If adopted, it would affect approximately 36 Arcadia businesses and be implemented in two phases. Phase 1 would begin in early June and would apply to grocery stores with $2 million+ in annual sales, such as Vons, Albertsons, 99 Ranch Market. Phase 2 would include smaller businesses, like pharmacies and convenience stores, and would be implemented 6 months later. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, April 21, 2016.
Arcadia spends $2 million on water to offset needs for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. It is the second purchase of its kind since April. The 3000 acre-feet of water was purchased from the Upper San Gabriel Valley Water District, will be stored in a cyclic storage account in main groundwater basin, which supplies a major portion of the city's drinking water.
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."