Petaluma prepares to reduce water use

State-ordered 15% reduction in use called achievable

Wednesday, June 20, 2007
From the Argus-Courier
By Corey Young

With most Sonoma County water users under a state order to conserve water by 15 percent beginning July 1 and lasting at least through October, Petaluma officials are preparing to do their part to meet the mandated reduction — and help citizens conserve, too.

"We're going to be monitoring our water use very carefully," Petaluma Mayor Pamela Torliatt said. "We've been trying to focus on our water supply as a valuable resource."

Petaluma gets its water from the Sonoma County Water Agency, which provides Russian River water to 600,000 people in the North Bay.

Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board ordered the agency to cut water use by 15 percent compared to 2004 levels, starting in July.

The reduction was ordered so enough water would remain in Lake Mendocino, which feeds into the Russian River, to be released for the fall Chinook Salmon run.

Agency officials had asked the state to allow lower flows into the river this summer to preserve water levels at the lake, and the state responded that less water must be taken from the river to help meet that goal.

The state board said Sonoma County should compare its summer 2007 water use to 2004, also a dry-weather year when little rain fell in the spring.

The water agency, which asked for voluntary conservation of 15 percent two months ago, said that so far, its customers had complied — the agency used nearly 18 percent less water in May 2007 than it did in May 2004.

But with weather warming up and the high water-use months of July and August ahead, conservation will be critical, officials said.

Petaluma has been preparing its parks and large landscaped areas for less water, said David Iribarne, the city's water conservation coordinator.

Contractors who landscape the parks have been asked to reduce irrigation and an audit of sprinklers and pipelines will be conducted to check for leaks or inefficient systems, he said.

New irrigation controls that turn sprinklers on only when the weather requires it are also being used, he said.

"We've installed 19 of the ET WeatherTrak controllers at city parks and we're already seeing lower water use at those parks," Iribarne said.

Even before the water agency called for voluntary — and now mandatory — conservation, Petalumans were reducing their water use, he said.

In 2004, the city used an average of 106 gallons of water per person, per day. Last year, that number was 90 gallons.

"Conservation is definitely working," Iribarne said. "The downward trend has been continuing."

Though Petaluma has been more water-wise recently, conservation efforts shouldn't be halted, the city said.

"Sometimes, to reduce water by 15 percent can be relatively easy," Torliatt said, noting the city's success in landscaping its parks more efficiently.

The water agency and its member cities are urging customers to follow a "top 10" list of water-conservation measures, such as cutting back on irrigation, repairing leaks and washing vehicles sparingly or at facilities that recycle their water.

A full list is available online at sonomacountywater.org.

For information on the city's conservation program, call 778-4507.