La Cañada residents are banned from using outdoor irrigation during pipeline repair

La Cañada Flintridge residents and businesses, along with their counterparts in neighboring communities, are banned from using outdoor irrigation Thursday through Feb. 28, as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California upgrades a pipeline that’s more than 70 years old.

All landscape watering is included in the ban, whether it’s delivered by sprinklers, drip systems or hand. Residents are also asked to refrain from activities such as washing cars and filling swimming pools. Officials recommend taking conservation steps indoors as well, by limiting use of water at taps and in the shower, and by running only full loads of laundry.

The pipeline being upgraded, known as the Upper Feeder, delivers treated drinking water to around 250,000 residents in La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Pasadena and Altadena.

The shutdown affects La Cañada Flintridge more than the other cities, said Nina Jazmadarian, general manager of the Foothill Municipal Water District, because this city is highly dependent upon the water system.

Public green spaces like parks and gardens won’t get watered this week, but due to the recent cold, rainy weather, they probably won’t miss it.

The city of La Cañada Flintridge is suspending all irrigation during the shutdown, said Gonzalo Venegas, facilities and maintenance superintendent.

Parks, center medians, trails, landscape islands, tennis courts and joint use sports fields are all affected, he said.

Descanso Gardens planned for the shutdown in advance and did all their watering last week, said Brian Sullivan, the center’s director of horticulture.

“Plants are relatively dormant this time of year,” he said. “They’re not really needing a lot of water.”

Dormant plants include Descanso’s signature roses.

Officials are asking gardeners to delay planting during the shutdown. Sullivan said that won’t be a problem at the public garden. “We don’t have any new plants to care for right now.”

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