CALIFORNIA MEGA DROUGHT

BY: NICK MOKHLESSIN, EVERTHRIVE LANDSCAPE

After three years of record-breaking drought conditions, State Water Project deliveries to Southern California are historically low. Metropolitan Water District has determined that there is not enough water available to meet normal demands this year. If you live in Southern California, there is a good chance you get some of your water through Metropolitan Water District (MWD). Metropolitan serves 26 public water agencies that then deliver supplies to 19 million people in the Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.

In April this year, Metropolitan Water District declared a water shortage emergency and is mandating drastic cuts in water use starting with restricting outdoor watering to one day per week in areas that depend on state project supplies. These new restrictions were implemented June 1, 2022. The affected water agencies include Calleguas Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Three Valleys Municipal Water District and Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.

Even if the water district that services your property is not mentioned in the list above, it is anticipated that all districts serviced by MWD will be tightening their own local restrictions and water conservation targets. Metropolitan Water District is calling on all residents and business in its region to immediately cut their water consumption by 20-30% to avoid a full ban on watering later in the summer.

There is not one outlet to determine the watering restrictions for agencies across the State. It is imperative that you are aware of which water district services your community to know the current local watering restrictions.

Ban on Watering Ornamental Turf

On May 24th, the State Water Board adopted an emergency water conservation regulation that bans irrigating turf at commercial (includes HOAs), industrial, and institutional properties. The ban does not include watering turf that is used for recreation or other community purposes, water used at residences or water to maintain trees.

This means that turf parkways (narrow areas between sidewalk and street), turf islands, and other non-functional turf areas will not survive if the new state regulations are followed. Fortunately, there are rebates available for converting turf area to drought tolerant plant material.

Water Conservation Planning and Rebates

Find a landscape service provider that is able to help you put together a water conservation program that helps your community meet the immediate needs of abiding by new restrictions, as well as provide short- and long-term planning for improving your community’s water efficiency.

The first step to reducing water waste is hiring certified irrigation professionals. Landscape contractors with trained and certified staff will use best management practices to ensure only the amount of water necessary is used on the landscape. Your contractor should be able to evaluate your landscape and irrigation system to identify the largest wasters of water and come up with a plan to correct these inefficiencies.

The second step is to take advantage of available rebates for making water conservation improvements to your property. Communities that are serviced by Metropolitan Water District qualify for the following rebates:

• Weather Based Irrigation Controllers / Soil Moisture Sensors - $35 per active station

• Turf Replacement $3-4 per square foot

• High Efficiency Nozzles - $2-$3 per nozzle

Quality Water Conservation Projects

As more communities shift to converting landscape and retrofitting irrigation systems to conserve water, it is important that these projects are completed in a way that will provide lasting value to your community. Partner with a landscape service provider that you can trust to provide you with quality work. For example, if you are going to install a drip irrigation system on your property, you should understand that there are varying levels and price points for drip irrigation. An inexpensive drip irrigation system may save you money upfront, but can cost thousands of dollars of repairs, re-work and plant replacements. A solid-pipe pvc drip system that is buried underground can last over a decade with minor maintenance, while a ¼”drip tubing system installed on-grade will likely require constant repairs and ultimately, replacement, within a few years.

Plant selection, smart controller technology, flow sensing, nozzle selection are just a few examples where it’s not just “one size fits all”. It requires a trained professional to select and install the right upgrades that will provide the best value, conserve the most water, and provide lasting benefit to your community.

Nick Mokhlessin is the COO and Managing Partner at Everthrive Landscape. He started in the CID industry immediately after college and has been in the commercial landscape industry for over ten years. Nick currently serves on the CAI-GRIE Board of Directors as well as on the Board of Directors for a Master Association in Temecula with over 1800 single family homes. He is a holds his Qualified Water Efficient Landscape certification and has a real passion for sharing the scientific art that is commercial landscape.