Folsom looks to conserve water

By Steffi Broski
CNS Staff Writer

As the water levels in Folsom Lake fall to half of normal for this time of year, the city is ramping up its conservation efforts.

A Stage 3 water warning, designed to reduce water waste, will be effective March 3. The City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Feb. 24 to invoke the Stage 3 water warning and to clarify water use guidelines during shortages.

After the city issued a Stage 2 water alert last year, residents met the goal of a 20 percent reduction in water use. Stage 3 further restricts water usage.

Landscape watering is limited to two designated days per week. Residents with even street numbers can water on Wednesday and Sunday, and those with street numbers that end in an odd number may water Tuesdays and Saturdays. All landscape watering must be done between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. The Stage 3 water warning prohibits the use of hoses without control valves.

“The new ordinance gives us the power to exercise penalties for the customers that don’t comply with the stage 3 water restrictions,” said Ken Payne, director of the utilities department. “But that’s not our approach. We want to work with our customers and help them comply.”

First time violators will receive a personal or written notification, but if there is a second violation within three months, a written notification and a Notice to Correct will be issued to the customer. Stage 3 mandates the discontinuance of water service if a second violation within one month is issued.

A third violation within six months may result in penalties up to $100 or the mandatory installation of a water meter, being billed twice the metered rate and possible discontinued water service.

“Up to today, we have not issued any penalties. That’s one of the nice things about this community, you have people that work with you,” said Payne.

Council member Ernie Sheldon said he would like not only to see penalties for people that waste water, but also rewards for those who conserve water. He said a combination of both would be ideal.

“You can’t just pound the guy in the head. You also need a reward of some sort. That’s just part of human nature,” said Sheldon.

Payne said within the next 60 to 90 days, the department will look at the possibility of lower rates for water conservers, but “nothing has been decided yet.” The cost of operating the water system stays the same whether a customer uses less or more water, Payne said.

The restricted water use will not affect new development, said Walter Sadler, assistant director of the Folsom Utilities Department. Contractors are already required to submit a plan for water use to the utility department prior to any construction.


As part of its water conservation efforts, the city is creating an irrigation plan for public parks and other public grounds.

“The city has invested $250 million in its parks over the last 20 years. We need to find out how to comply with the conservation effort, but at the same time protect the investment we have made,” said Sheldon.

The Parks and Recreation Committee is currently drafting an irrigation plan. The plan will include priorities for managing water usage in parks, said Robert Goss, director of the parks and recreation department.

The priorities will focus on protecting trees and sports fields. Cutting back on watering ornamental turf and shrubs will free up water for the sports fields that “we have heavily invested in,” Goss said.

“We will keep tweaking the plan until it saves at least 20 percent. Our goal is to protect the value of the infrastrcuture, since that’s where the public tax dollars went,“ said Goss.

He said if the Stage 3 water warning continues throughout the summer, Folsom’s parks will not be as green as they used to be, but the department is trying hard to avoid irreparable damage.

The new ordinance clarifies the five stages of water conservation from a Stage 1 to a Stage 5 water emergency. Each stage increases water use reduction by further restricting irrigation, ponds, fountains, car washing, pool refills and installation of new lawns and landscaping.

The decision on whether Folsom will implement a Stage 4 warning won’t be made before May, but if it stopped raining completely, it is a strong possibility, Payne said.

“We can’t predict what the weather is going to be like, The California weather can be weird. If we continue to stay dry, drinking water is the most important thing. Everything else will matter a lot less,” said Sheldon.