Residents and business owners in Morgan Hill are being asked to water their lawns less often and stop washing their vehicles in their driveways, as the city council on June 16 declared a “Level 2” water shortage.
The declaration comes during a worrisome statewide drought and after the June 9 decision by Valley Water—Santa Clara County’s water district and the City of Morgan Hill’s water wholesaler—to impose a mandatory water use reduction throughout the county of 33% compared to 2013 usage.
Under the City of Morgan Hill’s water supply shortage declaration, residential and commercial customers this summer (April through October) will be restricted to watering their lawns and landscaping to two days per week, according to city staff. Watering is restricted to one day per week from November through March, under the Level 2 restrictions.
Under the city’s ordinance, a Level 2 water supply shortage is defined by the need to reduce consumer demand for water by 21 to 40 percent, according to city staff. In 2015 and 2016, the last time the city declared a Level 2 shortage, customers cut their water usage by 33% and 30% each year, respectively.
Local restaurants cannot automatically serve water to customers, and hotels must offer guests the option to decline linen service under the city’s Level 2 drought restrictions, according to city staff. Construction sites must use non-potable water for many on-site activities.
Other restrictions included in the Level 2 water supply shortage are:
– Odd numbered addresses may water on Mondays and Thursdays, while even numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays and Fridays
– Irrigation should be scheduled before 9am or after 7pm
– Prevent runoff, and each irrigation valve or zone may run for a maximum of 15 minutes per day
– Water leaks must be repaired within 48 hours
– Filling or refilling of ornamental ponds or lakes with potable water is prohibited
– Vehicle washing is prohibited except at a commercial facility that recirculates or reuses water
– Pools built after Sept. 2, 2015 must be covered at all times except when being used.
“Put simply, it’s been a dry year,” Morgan Hill City Manager Christina Turner said. “Water resources and reserves are lower both in and out of the county affecting residents in many cities. The restrictions in place now are meant to avert an even worse crisis in the future. Conservation and a minimal water use mindset are a part of life for all of us.”
Enforcement of the city’s Level 2 restrictions will depend heavily on informing customers of the new rules and educating them when violations are observed.
This past winter was one of the driest seasons statewide in recent years, contributing to severe drought conditions in many parts of California. Valley Water’s annual allocations of water from state and federal programs are only fractions of their normal volumes, according to district officials.
The district’s total reservoir storage is only at 25 percent of capacity. Valley Water typically relies on imported water for 50% of its water supply.
Furthermore, this winter’s Sierra snowpack—also a key source of water at lower elevations each year—was only 5% of normal, Valley Water staff added.
The valley’s groundwater basin—the primary source of potable water for Morgan Hill and other nearby cities—is suffering as well. Wells in the Llagas Subbasin are 13 feet lower than their 2020 levels, according to city staff.
The Valley Water Board of Directors on June 9 declared a water shortage emergency, imposing mandatory use restrictions on private and municipal retailers throughout the county.
