Don’t water for a week

Both of the city’s water districts are asking Laguna Beach residents not to water their lawns or landscaping next week “” or to wash their cars at home.

The Laguna Beach County Water District and South Coast Water District want all outdoor watering suspended Monday through Jan. 31 while a regional water treatment plant is shut down for maintenance and upgrades, according to a statement issued by the districts.

Both agencies provide water to customers in Laguna Beach and will rely largely on reservoir water storage to meet demand that week, said County Water District spokesman Christopher Regan.

During the seven-day plant shutdown, both agencies are asking customers to suspend outdoor watering, refrain from washing cars “” except at a car wash “” and find ways to further limit indoor water use.

The Diemer Filtration Plant in Yorba Linda, which will be shut down for the week, supplies water to south Orange County and is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Regan said.

The planned shutdown comes at a time when both water districts have been conducting public outreach and enforcement of stricter water-conservation requirements.

Southern California water agencies served by Metropolitan Water District are required to reduce water use and could face possible penalties for exceeding water allotments, Regan said.

The cutbacks in water are the result of a statewide water-supply emergency due to below-average rainfall for three years and the largest court-ordered water transfer restrictions in state history.

Landscape professionals advise that residents and businesses can cut outdoor irrigation during the seven-day plant shutdown without adverse effects.

However, it is advisable to postpone new plantings or fertilizing until the water plant is back in service.

For water-saving tips, visit www.lbcwd.org, www.scwd.org or www.bewaterwise.com.

For more information, call the Laguna Beach County Water District at (949) 464-3100 or South Coast Water District at (949) 499-4555, ext. 1.