Staff Recommendations Seek to Encourage Additional Citywide Water Conservation

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. - At their June 8, 2015 meeting, the City Council will consider staff proposals for additional water use restrictions citywide and will promote new and existing water conservation tools to further the community's already successful conservation efforts. Redwood City's State-mandated water reductions are among the lowest in California as a result of effective citywide water conservation over the past few years. The State of California Water Resources Control Board set Redwood City's water reduction target at eight percent; some neighboring communities' targets were set as high as 37 percent.

"Redwood City residents and businesses know how to conserve water and that is demonstrated by how much our community has saved in water consumption year over year," said Dr. Bob Bell, city manager of Redwood City. "While our community has done a great job so far, our work citywide to conserve is not done. The majority of the new proposed water restrictions relate to outdoor water use and encouraging businesses to conserve. Education, awareness, and using the tools offered by the city will ensure that our community continues to do its part to support this statewide issue."

The Mayor and City Council will review the proposed new water use restrictions, including:
  • No landscape watering 48 hours after rainfall
  • Operators of hotels and motels to provide guests the option of declining daily laundering of towels and linens
  • Restricting the serving of drinking water other than upon request in eating or drinking establishments
Existing temporary restrictions that will continue include:
  • No landscape watering more than two days per week
  • No washing of cars without a shut off nozzle
  • No fountain uses that do not recirculate water
  • No hosing off hardscape (sidewalks and driveways)
  • No runoff from sprinklers
In accordance with the State mandate, residents can be fined up to $500 per violation. However, the City will provide warning notices, certified letters  for repeat violations, and opportunities for education prior to imposing fines.

The City of Redwood City's Public Works Department has also developed a new water conservation outreach plan with tools to help residents and commercial users conserve by taking advantage of rebates, recycled water programs, and more. These programs will save water indoors and outdoors, and increase overall awareness of water as a precious and limited local resource. 

Among the new and existing water conservation tools available to residents and commercial users in Redwood City is the recycled water fill station. This new, free program, which allows users to conserve significant water by recycling their outdoor irrigation usage, began for residential uses at the end of May and for commercial in April. Both uses require a short training on how to handle and use recycled water. Users can enjoy unlimited free visits to the recycled water fill station, and there are no water restrictions for recycled water usage statewide. The City would like to remind residents that recycled water is, however, still a valuable resource and it should not be wasted.

Maximum recycled water amount per visit to the fill station is 300 gallons. One gallon of water weighs a little over eight pounds, so residents are encouraged to plan ahead with the right container to transport water. The fill station is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Other City of Redwood City water conservation programs include:
  • Lawn Be Gone, a rebate program to replace residential lawns with water efficient plants
  • Free Smart home water-use house calls; water conservation technicians make house calls within Redwood City limits
  • SMART home water conservation kits, offering everything residents need to make their homes "water smart"
  • My water program, an online water budgeting program customized for city residents and their specific water needs (http://mywater.redwoodcity.org)

For more information on how the city can help residents and businesses conserve water, visit the City of Redwood City's website.