No new swimming pools in town and a strict limit on when homeowners can water their lawns are part of Morgan Hill’s new watering restrictions, but some residents think the new rules don’t go far enough to combat the effects of an historic statewide drought.
And just this week, a state water regulator reported that Morgan Hill is among the cities that might be required to cut as much 35 percent of its water use from 2013 levels.
The Morgan Hill City Council declared a “level 2” water shortage at the April 1 meeting. Along with this declaration comes new watering restrictions including a prohibition on filling and refilling swimming pools and washing vehicles with drinkable water. The restrictions go into effect April 11.
Some who spoke at a public hearing just before the council adopted the new measures April 1 think the city is not doing enough to preserve water by allowing new residential construction to continue at its current pace.
“It does not make sense that the city would punish existing residents while continuing to allow new connections for residents that are not even here yet,” said Morgan Hill resident Glenn Ritter, referring to hundreds of new homes under construction or permitted for construction in the city limits. “Level 2 (restrictions) should require a moratorium of all new connections and the city should take fair and prudent action.”
However, only a “level 3” declaration by the city would allow the council to eliminate new home construction, according to city staff.
The state is in the fourth year of an “unprecedented drought,” resulting in steadily increasing restrictions in communities throughout the state since early 2014, according to a city staff report.
In April 2014, the council declared a “level 1” water shortage, which limits outdoor landscape watering to three days per week (or one day in the winter); requires property owners to repair leaks and water system malfunctions within 72 hours; and prohibits watering pavement or hard surfaces in most cases.
These are in addition to permanent city watering restrictions, including limits on watering durations, no excessive water flow or runoff and limits on washing vehicles.
The level 2 restrictions include these permanent rules and the level 1 limits, plus the following:
• Watering of lawns, landscaping or other vegetation with potable water is limited to two days per week from April to October, and one day per week from November to March;
• As of April 11, odd-numbered addresses in Morgan Hill may only water lawns on Mondays and Thursdays, while even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays and Fridays only;
• Irrigation is allowed before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.;
• Obligations to repair leaks, breaks and malfunctions within 48 hours;
• Washing cars is prohibited except at commercial facilities that recycle water (all commercial car washes in Morgan Hill use recycled water);
• Swimming pools and outdoor spas may be refilled up to one foot; initial filling of residential swimming pools, outdoor spas, ornamental lakes or ponds is prohibited.
The level 2 restrictions will effectively eliminate new swimming pool construction in Morgan Hill while the restrictions are in place, according to Morgan Hill Program Administrator Anthony Eulo.
A staff report presented to the council showed that available local water supplies—including city wells fed by the groundwater basin—have shrunk significantly due to the drought. This supply is typically supplemented by sources outside the Bay Area, which are also diminishing.
The groundwater level at the city’s Nordstrom well, for example, has dropped from 135 feet below the ground surface in 2011, to a projected 203 feet in 2015, according to Public Works Director Karl Bjarke.
Saving statewide
Even if new residential construction became banned in Morgan Hill, that would not affect the overall water supply if surrounding cities continue to allow growth at current or increasing levels, explained Community Development Director Andrew Crabtree. Developers who planned to build in Morgan Hill would simply take their projects to the south if the city declared a construction moratorium.
“There’s a lot of things we can do with new development to minimize (the drought’s) impact,” Crabtree said.
On April 7, the State Water Resources Control Board’s monthly report of daily per capita water consumption showed that by this measure, consumption is on the rise in Morgan Hill. City customers in February consumed about 71 gallons per capita per day, which is on the rise from 63 in January and 60 in December 2014.
Statewide, the water conservation rate for February was a “dismal” 2.8 percent as compared to the same month in 2013, according to the state water board. As a result, the regulators are planning to implement a “sliding scale” mandatory rate cut, requiring the biggest water wasting cities and retailers to conserve at a higher rate than those who have shown a more impressive water-conserving history.
That means the city of Morgan Hill actually has to cut its water usage by 35 percent, according to the regulators.
“We will be continuing to work hard and work with the community to save water and reduct the amount of water we use,” Eulo said. “The goal was 30 percent (set) by the water district, and now (as of April 7) we have a little bit higher goal, and a higher mandate.”
