Drought Updates

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Drought Update

The City of Ontario is currently in the Voluntary Stage of the Water Conservation Plan. The City of Ontario is not currently in a drought however the Ontario Municipal Utilities Company does ask that customers continue to use water efficiently.

Making Conservation a California Way of Life

The State Water Resources Control Board adopted the Making Conservation a California Way of Life regulation on July 3, 2024. This regulation implements Assembly Bill 1668 and Senate Bill 606, which were signed into law in 2018, to develop a regulatory framework to achieve long-term water use efficiency.

This regulation sets new, permanent water use budgets for urban water suppliers, not individual residents, or businesses. Each urban retail water supplier must demonstrate compliance with its urban water use objective beginning January 1, 2027.

Please call 909-395-2614 or email waterwise@ontarioca.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

Water Conservation Stages

Voluntary Conservation Stage

Everyone is encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing the amount of potable (drinking) water used through various water saving strategies. Voluntary Conservation includes the following:

Avoid hose washing of sidewalks, driveways, and other parking/paved surfaces.
Cars and other vehicles should be washed by hand, rinsed with a hose with a positive shutoff nozzle, at a commercial car wash, or with recycled water.
Avoid using water to clean, fill or maintain levels in decorative fountains or ponds unless it has a water recycling system.
Encourage restaurants to serve drinking water only to customers who request it.
Promptly repair leaks from indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures.
Avoid watering lawns, and the like, between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
Prevent water from running off from landscaped areas due to incorrectly directed or maintained sprinklers or excessive watering.

2022 Water Conservation Plan Restriction Stages Fact Sheets.pdf

Stage 1

Stage 1 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce usage up to 10%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by voluntary measures alone or by order of the State.
Stage 1 includes the following:

Except as required for health or sanitary purposes, washing of sidewalks, driveways or other paved surfaces is prohibited. Hose used shall have a positive shutoff nozzle.
Cars and other vehicles should only be washed by hand, using a hose with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses, at a commercial car wash, or with recycled water.
No water should be used to clean, fill, or maintain decorative fountains or ponds unless it has a water recycling system.
No restaurants should serve drinking water to customers unless they request it.
All water customers shall promptly repair all leaks from indoor or outdoor plumbing fixtures in a timely manner.
No person shall irrigate between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
No water customer shall cause water to run off landscape areas into adjoining streets, sidewalks, or other paved areas.
Fire hydrants shall only be used for firefighting or construction purposes. The use of water from fire hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting and related activities necessary to maintain the public health, safety, and welfare. An exception may be made for construction use through a proper city-designated meter. The use of potable water for construction activities shall be restricted in areas where recycled water is available for such use.
Any additional reductions strategies as determined by City Council.

Stage 2

Stage 2 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce usage up to 20%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by Stage 1 alone or by order of the State.
Stage 2 includes the following:

Everything in Stage 1.
No filling or refilling empty swimming pools unless there is written permission from the City Manager.
All customers are prohibited from irrigating during and within 48 hours following measurable rainfall.
Hotels and motels must provide guests the option of not having towels or linens laundered daily.
All persons are prohibited from irrigating with potable water any ornamental turf on public street medians.
The use of potable water for irrigation outside of newly constructed homes and buildings shall be consistent with the California Building Standards Commission and Department of Housing and Community Development.

Stage 3

Stage 3 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce usage up to 30%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by Stage 2 alone or by order of the State.
Stage 3 includes the following:

Everything in Stage 2.
Residents and Commercial/Industrial/Institutional customers will be prohibited from irrigating any turf or landscape area more than four (4) days a week.
The use of water from fire hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting and related activities and other uses of water for municipal purposes shall be limited to activities necessary to maintain the public health, safety, and welfare. Unless written permission has been granted by the City Manager or his/her designee, the use of potable water for construction activities and grading shall be prohibited.

Stage 4

Stage 4 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce usage up to 40%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by Stage 3 alone or by order of the State.
Stage 4 includes the following:

Everything in Stage 3.
Residents and Commercial/Industrial/Institutional customers will be prohibited from irrigating any turf or landscape area more than two (2) days a week.
No person shall irrigate any turf or landscaped area more than fifteen minutes (15) on watering days.
No vehicles shall be washed unless it is taken to a carwash.

Stage 5

Stage 5 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce usage up to 50%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by Stage 4 alone or by order of the State.
Stage 5 includes the following:

Everything in Stage 4.
Residents and Commercial/Industrial/Institutional customers will be prohibited from irrigating any turf or landscape area more than one (1) day a week.

Stage 6

Stage 6 refers to mandatory restrictions on the use of potable water to reduce more than 50%. This stage occurs when City Council determines that the City’s water conservation goals are not being met by Stage 5 alone or by order of the State.
Stage 6 includes the following:

Everything in Stage 5.
Unless otherwise permitted by a resolution of the City Council, there shall be no use of potable water for irrigation of outdoor landscape or turf.
Commercial nurseries shall be prohibited from the use of potable water for irrigation of outdoor, landscape and turf except by use of a hand- held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle.
The following nonessential uses of water shall be prohibited: the filling, cycling, filtering, or refilling swimming pools, spas, Jacuzzis, fountains, or other like devices.