Santa Ana Council Lifts Restrictions on Water Use

After 15 months of mandatory water restrictions, the City Council on Monday removed the regulations but urged citizens to continue voluntary water conservation.

The mandatory restrictions went into effect in February, 1991, as the city entered its fifth consecutive year of drought conditions and faced a 5% loss in water supply.

Under the mandatory restrictions, citizens could not wash down outdoor surfaces, water lawns between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or fill decorative fountains unless the water was recycled.

Restaurants were prohibited from serving water unless requested.

In a memo to the council, Public Works Director James G. Ross said the response from Santa Ana residents to the water-rationing program “was tremendous, achieving a 14.4% reduction in water use.” The water supply also improved due to the heavy rains earlier this year, he said.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies a fourth of Santa Ana’s water, discontinued water rationing to its member agencies a month ago, Ross told the council.

The Orange County Water District, which manages the ground water basin that provides the remaining 75% of the city’s water, is expected to allow full pumping this year, he added.