How Cities Are Saving Water

Here is a city-by-city look at drought-related measures taken by water suppliers serving the South Bay. Only mandatory measures are listed. Failure to comply with the measures could result in penalties ranging from fines to the interruption of water service. For more detailed information, contact the agency or company listed on your water bill.

* Making a garden water-efficient often starts at the nursery, where a number of drought tolerant plants are available. Pass over the colorful but water-guzzling impatiens, petunias and pansies. For a splash of color that won’t tax the water supply try California poppy, dusty miller, cosmos, sunshine daisy, alyssum, sea lavender, lily of the Nile and day lily. For gound covers, verbena, rosemary, gazania and ice plant are water-efficient, and flowering but water-thrifty shrubs include rockrose, wild lilac, cassia, lantana, oleander and bottlebrush. For lawns, Bermuda grasses, seashore paspalum and zoysia are recommended, although they will go dormant in winter and lose their color.

* Once a lawn is established, there are ways of maintaining it that could mean significant water savings. Water the lawn only when it needs it. Step on the grass. If it springs back, it doesn’t need water. When watering, keep in mind that a light sprinkling, which sits on the surface, will evaporate and be wasted.

* Back yard swimming pools account for a significant amount of residential water consumption. According to the Metropolitan Water District, about 14.5% of homes in Southern California have pools. The average pool measures 15 by 30 feet, has a depth of 6.5 feet and holds 22,000 gallons. Among the ways to make pool use water-efficient are using a pool cover and turning off the pool heater. Both prevent evaporation of water. Uncovered, a pool can lose 70 gallons a day.

Cutbacks in Water Use

Cutback City (supplier) Ordered Base Period Avalon *** n/a Carson 20% 1989 for residents, (Dominguez Water Co.) fiscal 1989-90 for businesses Carson 20% 1990 (So. California Water Co.) El Segundo 20% June 1989-May ’90 Gardena 20% 1990 (So. California Water Co.) Hawthorne 10% June 1989-May ’90 (city water system) Hawthorne 20% 1990 (So. California Water Co.) Hermosa Beach 20% June 1989-May ’90 Inglewood* 20% 1990 (So. California Water Co.) Lawndale 20% 1990 (So. California Water Co.) Lomita 20% April 1989-March ’90 (Los Angeles County) Los Angeles 15% 1986 Manhattan Beach 20% 1989 Palos Verdes Estates 20% June 1989-May ’90 Rancho Palos Verdes 20% June 1989-May ’90 Redondo Beach 20% June 1989-May ’90 Rolling Hills 20% June 1989-May ’90 Rolling Hills Estates 20% June 1989-May ’90 Torrance 20% 1989 (city water system) Torrance 10% 1989 for residents, (Dominguez Water Co.) fiscal 1989-90 for businesses Torrance 20% June 1989-May ’90 (California Water Service)

Max. Daily Use (in Gallons) City (supplier) for Exemption** Avalon n/a Carson none (Dominguez Water Co.) Carson 300 (So. California Water Co.) El Segundo 375 Gardena 300 (So. California Water Co.) Hawthorne 237 (city water system) Hawthorne 300 (So. California Water Co.) Hermosa Beach 150 Inglewood* 300 (So. California Water Co.) Lawndale 300 (So. California Water Co.) Lomita none (Los Angeles County) Los Angeles none Manhattan Beach 300 Palos Verdes Estates 150 Rancho Palos Verdes 150 Redondo Beach 150 Rolling Hills 150 Rolling Hills Estates 150 Torrance 325 (city water system) Torrance none (Dominguez Water Co.) Torrance 150 (California Water Service)

* Rationing not in effect for customers of Inglewood’s municipal water system.

** Residents who keep water use below the specified level are exempt from rationing.

*** Water use limits that vary depending on the user. For most year-round residents, the limit is 40 gallons per person per day.

Other Mandatory Measures

Avalon No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites * Avalon allows watering of landscapes only two days a week.

Carson: (Dominguez Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Carson: (Southern California Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

El Segundo No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Gardena: (Southern California Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Hawthorne: (City water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Hawthorne: (Southern California Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Hermosa Beach No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Inglewood: (City water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request

Inglewood: (Southern California Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Lawndale: (City water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request

Lawndale: (Southern California Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Lomita: (Los Angeles County) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Los Angeles No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Low-flow showers and toilets in new construction

Manhattan Beach No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Watering of lawns only on every third day Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Palos Verdes Estates No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Rancho Palos Verdes No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Redondo Beach No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Rolling Hills No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Rolling Hills Estates No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Torrance: (City water system) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose No lawn watering during most day hours Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains

Torrance: (Dominguez Water Co.) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites

Torrance: (California Water Service) No hosing off driveways, walkways and patios No water runoff in streets or gutters No car washing with free-flowing hose Water in restaurants only served by request Ban on non-recycling decorative fountains Ban on dampening of dirt at building sites