Drought and Possible Mandatory Conservation to be Topics at Let’s Talk H2O! by Palmdale Water District Mar 17, 2022 Member Submitted News PALMDALE – With Lake Palmdale serving as the backdrop, Palmdale Water District (PWD) will discuss the drought and how mandatory water conservation rules may soon be adopted at the next Let’s Talk H2O! Water Supply 2022 event at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 24. PWD Resource and Analytics Director Peter Thompson Jr. will share information about the District’s water supply for 2022, how a third straight year of dry winters is forcing the likelihood of mandatory conservation guidelines, and what residents can do to help save water. The event is free, but registration is required. “The lack of rain these past couple of months is making it critical for everyone to conserve so that we have enough water to get through 2022,” Thompson said. “Without snow and rain in the northern Sierra Nevada, water supply will be limited. Mandatory restrictions are very likely at this point.” PWD could enact the mandatory phase of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) by May if customers do not voluntarily conserve 15% compared to their 2020 water use and if there is no significant rain by the end of April. If approved by the Board of Directors, violators of the restrictions could face fines and some customers’ bills will include drought surcharges. In 2015-16 when the District enforced mandatory conservation rules, customers reduced water use by 28%. “No one likes mandatory water restrictions,” Thompson said. “But we are at a pivotal point where these restrictions may be needed to ensure that we save water, so we have enough for this year and in the future. I hope to see many from our community at the event where we will discuss the drought situation and how we can join together to conserve and to make a difference during this challenging time.” Since 1918, the Palmdale Water District has provided high-quality water at a reasonable cost. We pride ourselves on providing great customer care; advocating for local water issues that help our residents; educating the community on water-use efficiency; and leading our region in researching and implementing emerging technologies that increase operational efficiency. For more information about PWD, visit www.palmdalewater.org. ###
