The City of Los Angeles has moved into Phase 3 of its emergency water conservation ordinance. This ordinance requires all LADWP customers to reduce the number of outdoor watering days from three to two days per week. LADWP has created an informative FAQ that drives home the seriousness of the situation and outlines the goals for our city. Follow this link for more information on the changes, including specific watering hours and times and rebates.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
City of Los Angeles Phase 3 Water Conservation Ordinance:
Two-Days-A-Week Watering
What is Phase 3 of watering restrictions?
Phase 3 limits outdoor watering with sprinklers to two days a week for eight minutes per station per watering day. Watering for 15 minutes per station, twice per watering day, is allowed when using water-conserving nozzles: these are rotating nozzles that stream water more slowly and uniformly to your landscape, and use significantly less water per minute than non-conserving nozzles. Watering days are Mondays and Fridays for odd-numbered street addresses;
Sundays and Thursdays for even-numbered street addresses
- Strongly recommend use of pool covers to decrease water loss from evaporation.
- Strongly recommend washing of vehicles at commercial car wash facilities. Most commercial facilities are more efficient due to the re-use of wash water.
- Except for watering days, which have been reduced from three days to two days a week (see above), all prohibited uses under Phase 1 and 2 continue to apply, including no watering at all between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Visit LADWP.com/wateringdays to view the full ordinance, including all phases and prohibited uses. Click on the tab for “Emergency Water Conservation Plan Ordinance” to view and download the ordinance.
Why is LADWP implementing Phase 3 (two-days-a-week watering) of the water conservation ordinance?
California is experiencing severe drought conditions in our third consecutive dry year, which has included the driest January, February, and March on record. LADWP is among the member agencies of the regional water wholesaler, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), that rely upon State Water Project (SWP) supplies from Northern California, which is the water source most impacted by the current drought. MWD’s water shortage emergency declaration mandated drastic cuts in water use in areas, including Los Angeles, that depend upon the SWP supplies.
Is there no water stored that we can tap into?
While there is water stored regionally, in part due to the heroic conservation efforts of LADWP customers, there is a lack of regional infrastructure to move that water into parts of MWD’s service territory, including LADWP’s service areas and those of five other agencies. As a result, LADWP and other impacted agencies have to reduce their demands on limited imported supplies from MWD. LADWP continues to shore up its local water supply through stormwater capture, groundwater remediation and water recycling.
Do the Phase 3 restrictions apply to commercial as well as residential customers?
Yes, all the same provisions apply to commercial customers, regardless of their size.
Why do properties with water-conserving nozzles get to water twice a day and for 15 minutes per session?
Even though more minutes are permitted when watering with
water-conserving nozzles, less water is used compared to
non-conserving nozzles. (View a list of conserving nozzles or visit www.socalwatersmart.com)
Does the two-days-a-week watering apply to drip irrigation?
Drip irrigation is subject to the same time allotment as water-conserving nozzles: No more than 15 minutes per cycle, up to two times per station on the two permissible watering days, based on address, for a total of 60 minutes per week, before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m.
Does the two-days-a-week watering apply to hand-watering my landscape?
Hand watering is allowed any day before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00…
Read More: Los Angeles Water Conservation Update