Water Conservation

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Happy Suburban Water Systems customers and family pictured with our Conservation Kit. Please utilize the tools on this page to Conserve Water!

Suburban Water Systems Moves Back to Stage 1

Suburban Water Systems (Suburban) and the state met the Governor’s call to reduce water usage by 20%. The state recognized Suburban as a “Conservation All-Star.” Suburban thanks our customers for their efforts in conserving water. Per the Governor’s EXECUTIVE ORDER N-5-23 on March 23, 2023, Suburban filed to return to Stage 1 of our Water Shortage Contingency Plan as described in our Tariffs and Rates Rule 14.1 document (PDF). Suburban will remain in Stage 1 to continue to support the state’s long-term conservation goals and mandates. Conservation is a Way of Life in California. Every Drop Counts!

Return to Stage 1 Drought Customer Notice

Stage 1: Water Conservation – Non Essential or Unauthorized Water Use

Non-essential and prohibited use restrictions are in effect at all times until the CPUC authorizes deactivation.
a. Outdoor Irrigating Restrictions (Stage 1)

Irrigating ornamental landscapes with potable water is limited to no more than three (3) days per week, on a schedule established and posted by Suburban on its website or otherwise provided to customers by bill message, bill insert, direct mail, or email, or as follows:
1. Customer with even-numbered addresses may irrigate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
2. Customers with odd-numbered addresses may irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursday, and Sundays.
3. For governmental entities irrigating parks, any given station may be watered only three (3) times per week.
4. Customers without a street address may irrigate on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
5. Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, irrigation of special landscape areas or commercial nurseries may occur as needed, provided that the customer who wishes to irrigate a special landscape area or commercial nursery presents Suburban with a plan to achieve water use reductions commensurate with those that would be achieved by complying with foregoing restrictions.
6. Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, when a city, a county, or other local public agency in one of Suburban’s service areas duly adopts restrictions on the number of days or hours of the day that customers may irrigate which are different than those adopted by Suburban, Suburban may enforce the city, county, or other local public agency’s restrictions.
Irrigating ornamental landscape with potable water is prohibited during the hours between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Watering or irrigating of any lawn, landscape, or other vegetated area with potable water during and for 48 hours following measurable rainfall is prohibited.
The foregoing restrictions do not apply to:
1. Landscape irrigation zones that exclusively use drip irrigation systems and/or micro spray irrigation system;
2. Irrigating ornamental landscapes with the use of a hand-held bucket or similar container, with a continuously monitored hose which is fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use or monitored, or for the express purpose of adjusting or repairing an irrigation system. Landscape that is irrigated with recycled water.
Excessive water flow or run-off.
1. Watering or irrigating of any lawn, landscape or other vegetated area in a manner that causes or allows excessive water flow or runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures is prohibited.
Washing vehicles.
1. The use of a hose that dispenses potable water to wash a motor vehicle, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device attached to it is prohibited. Use of water for washing commercial aircraft, cars, buses, boats, trailers or other commercial vehicles at any time is prohibited, except at commercial or fleet vehicle or boat washing facilities operated at a fixed location where equipment using water is properly maintained to avoid wasteful use.
Washing down hard or paved surfaces.
1. Use of potable water for washing buildings, structures, driveways, patios, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard surfaced areas is prohibited, except in cases where health and safety are at risk.
Re-circulating water required for water fountains and decorative features. Operating a water fountain or other decorative feature that does not use re-circulated water is prohibited.
Commercial businesses, including restaurants and other food service providers can only serve drinking water to customers on request.Commercial businesses, including restaurants and other food service providers can only serve drinking water to customers on request.
Hotel/motel operators must provide guests with the option of choosing not to have towels and linens laundered daily. Information about this option must be prominently displayed.
Unmetered water from fire hydrants cannot be used for any reason other than fire suppression or Suburban’s system maintenance purposes.
Waste caused by correctable leaks, breaks or malfunctions. This loss of potable water may be cited for water waste after a five-day period has passed in which the leak or malfunction could have been corrected.
There cannot be unreasonable or excessive use of potable water for dust control or earth compaction.
Operation of commercial car washes that do not recycle the potable water used as required by the California Water Code Sections 10950-10953 is prohibited.
Other wasteful practices may be identified from time to time by the Commission, Suburban, or governmental agency.

Suburban Water Systems’ Water Conservation and Rationing Plan is described in our Tariffs and Rates Rule 14.1 document (PDF). We also encourage you to take advantage of conservation programs available on our web site.

Urban Water Management Plan 2020

Suburban Water Systems’ Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) has been prepared consistent with the requirements under Water Code Sections 10610 through 10656 of the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act) and its amendments. The Act requires that “every urban water supplier providing water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually, to prepare and adopt, in accordance with prescribed requirements, an urban water management plan.” These plans support the Suburban Water Systems’ long-term resource planning to ensure adequate water supplies are available to meet existing and future water needs.

Ways that Suburban Water Systems customers can save water

Water Saving Rebates

Water Saving Rebates are available for numerous rebates such as clothes washers, irrigation controllers, and more. Visit www.socalwatersmart.com and choose “Residential Rebates” to apply. You will need your account # to fill out the online rebate application.

Free FREE Commercial and Residential Water Use Surveys

Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Is Now Accepting Applications for FREE Commercial and Residential Water Use Surveys. Metropolitan Water District in partnership with Water Wise Consulting offers free inperson commercial large landscape surveys as well as virtual and in-person indoor/outdoor residential surveys for properties within the district’s 5,200 square-mile service area.

These surveys provide customers with recommendations to improve outdoor landscape and indoor water use efficiency. Apply online at waterefficiencysurvey.com.

Check out the Water Efficiency Survey feat. West Covina Councilman Ollie Cantos:

Suburban Landscape Classes and Webinars

Suburban Water Systems periodically offers landscape classes and webinars on a variety of topics.

Click the Class to Register:

March 15, 2025, 10:00-12:00 A.M. (in-person) – West Covina Senior Center – Let’s Go Native! – Sun Tolerant Plants and Irrigation

April 30, 2025. 6:00-8:00 P.M. (online) – Let’s Go Native! – Sun Tolerant Plants and Irrigation

May 19, 2025, 1:00 -3:00 P.M. (in-person) – La Mirada Activity Center – Turf Replacement – Ditch Your Turf

August 20, 2025, 6:00-8:00 P.M. (online) – Turf Replacement – Ditch Your Turf

September 15, 2025, 1:00 -3:00 P.M. (in-person) – La Mirada Activity Center – Small Spaces – Big Impact

October 8, 2025, 6:00-8:00 P.M. (online) – Landscaping to Protect Your Home – FireScaping and Slopes

WaterSmart Letters

Suburban Water Systems WaterSmart Neighbor Comparison Letters are mailed twice per year during the high-demand months to all customers to motivate behavior change required to achieve Suburban’s and California’s conservation goals. These letters compare a customer’s water usage to their neighbors. They have been shown to work – reducing consumption by 5%. WaterSmart is an established provider in this space and has an online platform to help customers understand their usage, alert them of leaks, and communicate our conservation goals.

Customers can edit their WaterSmart profile to better align with their household by reviewing the pdf link and signing up or updating their portal online at SouthWest Water Company .

Check out these new videos to help you locate leaks and save water on your landscaping

How-to videos — English:

How-to videos — Spanish

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