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Emergency Drought Contingency Plan – Level YELLOW

EMERGENCY DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN 

Level I – Water Awareness (Yellow) Voluntary Conservation Measures:

Voluntary conservation is the normal mode of operation. Level I measures will apply when the static well reading at the Fort Jones Pump is between 23 and 29 feet. Voluntary conservation measures are proposed in this stage to embed water efficiency programs into the fabric of the community and achieve permanent reductions in per capita water use. The Town’s primary tool for achieving long-term reductions in water use is public education to encourage the formation of water-saving habits and installation of water-saving fixtures. Since the community’s structures tend to be older, the Town encourages customers to update to modern, low-flow, high- efficiency water fixtures and appliances.

T he f ol l ow i ng m e a s ur e s are recommended to encourage prudent water use, as an unreasonable waste of water is discouraged at all times:

Water Line Leak Detection

  1. Minor leaks – The goal should be for both the Town and its residents, to identify and repair minor leaks within 48 hours.
  2. Major leaks – The goal should be to identify and repair major leaks within 8 hours. Infrastructure – The goal should be to identify and pursue opportunities to enhance and upgrade the service infrastructure whenever possible to minimize waste on a system wide

Outdoor Landscaping – Outdoor water use for landscaping most often represents the highest water use for residential users. As such, conservation efforts in the city should encourage drought tolerant landscaping.

  1. Watering Hours – Use of potable water to irrigate turf and landscape vegetation is discouraged between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
  2. Irrigated Turf Area – Minimize the amount of irrigated turf in new development to permanently reduce system-wide per capita water use.
  3. Irrigation Control Systems – New and renovated irrigation systems should include automatic timers and rain or soil moisture sensors that can automatically override the timer control of the sprinkler system.
  4. Drip Irrigated Area – Drip irrigation is more efficient than spray for many applications, especially those where bushes, flowers, gardens and areas of unusual shape are being irrigated.
  5. Sidewalk and Driveway Design – Lot design should be configured such that spray irrigation does not overspray and pavement Landscape areas can be designed to catch any runoff instead of allowing water to drain off.
  6. Landscape Plants – Seek to use low water using plants that are drought tolerant.

Individual water conservation habits

  1. Bathroom – Turn off water while brushing teeth and Bathe using half-full tubs and take shorter showers.
  2. Piping – Insulate hot water heaters and pipelines to reduce the time needed to get hot water at the tap.
  3. Kitchen – Store drinking water in refrigerator and run dishwasher only when
  4. Laundry – Purchase high-efficiency appliances and wash full loads of
  5. Watering Hours – Watering during the heat of the day allows for high evaporation rates, therefore watering should be done before 10:00am and after 6:00pm.
  6. Drip Irrigation – Use drip irrigation wherever possible for deep watering of trees, bushes, flowers and gardens.
  7. Hose Shutoff Valves – Equip hoses with a shutoff valve that requires hand pressure to
  8. Exterior Cleaning – Sweep patios, sidewalks, driveways, and other hard exterior
  9. Car Washing – Use spray from a hose equipped with a shutoff valve and/or a bucket of water to wash cars.
  10. Hot Water Lines Insulation – Insulating hot water lines or installing a recirculation pump in new construction will reduce heat losses and the amount of time the water has to ‘run’ before it gets to the proper temperature. Pipe insulation can save both water and
  11. Thermostatic Mixing Devices – By running the hot water and cold-water lines into a single mixing valve, the person taking a shower can set and get the target water temperature much more quickly, especially when the hot water line is insulated.
  12. Water Saving Devices – Install low-flow devices and flow restrictions for high use fixtures like shower heads and install updated, low flush toilets and low water use
  13. Plumbing Repairs – Promptly repair any leaking fixtures. Test your plumbing by carefully checking the water meter reading and then turning off all water using After 30 to 60 minutes, check if the meter has recorded any usage. Toilets can be checked by placing a drop of food coloring in the water tank and checking in 30 minutes for any coloration of water in the bowl. Toilets are responsible for some of the most common household leaks.
  14. It is recommended that potable water for car washing, construction, compaction, dust control, street or building wash-down be from a hose equipped with a shutoff valve and/or a bucket of water for washing. Similarly, patios, sidewalks, driveways and other hard exterior surfaces ought to be swept rather than sprayed with water.

At Level I, the Town shall take the following actions:

  1. The City Hall staff will engage with the public to encourage voluntary water
  2. The City Hall Staff will investigate additional ways to conserve water both at the household level and at the city level.