RIVERSIDE, CA – On Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, Western Municipal Water District's (Western) Board of Directors adopted an updated retail ordinance and Water Supply Contingency Plan (WSCP). Additionally, the Western Board reaffirmed the agency's Stage 2 – Water Supply Alert status for Western retail.

“Western serves an area where cyclical droughts are a regional reality, which means customer attention to efficient water use, especially now, coupled with securing local water supplies to diversify our regional portfolio is vital to ensure our communities have a system they can rely on now and into the future,” said General Manager Craig Miller. “After modifying the rate structure to remove the highest priced conservation tier last year, it is important that our drought planning efforts align with the new structure and recognize our customers significant efforts to become more water-efficient—Western’s shortage plan updates do just that.” 

Western’s retail customers remain in Stage 2 – Water Supply Alert. At this stage, Western retail customers are being asked to continue stepping up their efforts to use less by voluntarily reducing their water use by up to 20 percent. This stage aligns with and further expands on the state's request in October 2021 for a voluntary 15 percent reduction.

“December rain and snow was good news, but the drought is not over. While state reservoirs benefited from the recent rain and snowfall, a few months of favorable weather cannot fully replenish reservoirs that were at all-time lows,” said Miller. “Customers need to know that the drought is still here, and we all need to keep doing our part to save water.”

Western customers can support this water-saving effort with the following actions:

• Install a self-adjusting, weather-based irrigation controller. 
• Tune up irrigation systems by checking for and repairing leaks and damaged sprinklers.
• Wash only full loads of laundry or dishes.
• Install low-flow certified showerheads and shorten shower times. 
• Consider replacing older inefficient appliances with certified low-flow appliances.

"We know our customers are taking action to use less water. To help customers sustain this momentum, Western offers increased rebates and enhanced water use efficiency programs," continued Miller. "We continue to encourage our customers to take advantage of these opportunities and reach out to our customer service team if they need additional support."

Under California Water Code 10632 requirements, Western is responsible for conserving available water supply, protecting the integrity of water supply facilities, and implementing a contingency plan in times of drought, supply reductions, failure of water distribution systems, or emergencies. Therefore, Western has adopted an updated WSCP to regulate the delivery and consumption of water use during water shortages.

The Western Board of Directors retains the authority to initiate or terminate the WSCP and escalate through the outlined stages. Western will implement the appropriate stage based on current water supply conditions and allocations as demonstrated by:

• Statewide water supply conditions
• The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Water Supply Allocation Plan implementation or other actions requiring a reduction in water demand
• Western's water supply conditions and storage levels
• Local water supply and demand conditions

The full WSCP can be viewed at wmwd.com/WSCP. Western offers a variety of customer support programs that provide even more money-savings above standard rebates for replacing water-thirsty lawns and inefficient home appliances. Our programs also include free landscape efficiency surveys, easy-to-follow DIY landscape sample designs, and more.

To learn more about Western, visit wmwd.com. Stay updated on Western's latest projects and happenings by following Western on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Western Municipal Water District is one of the largest public agencies in Riverside County, providing water and wastewater (sewer) services to nearly a million people, both retail and wholesale customers who live, work and play within 527 square miles in one of California's most populous regions. Learn more: wmwd.com.