In this special edition of Water Currents, learn more about the status of our water supply, how to save water, as well as highlights on how we’re doing our part to secure safe, reliable local water supplies for our community. Visit www.DroughtReadySCV.com for more information.

It is vitally important to save water as the Santa Clarita Valley remains in drought. In response to these persistent drought conditions throughout the SCV and the state, SCV Water has activated Stage 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Water Conservation and Water Supply Shortage Ordinance!

Stage 1 encourages customers to voluntarily reduce their water use by a minimum of 10% and to participate in available rebate programs to increase water-use efficiency. Here's how you can help:

Here are ways to reduce your water waste and comply with Stage 1 restrictions:

During drought, some may notice your water seems “harder” than usual. With less access to the softer State Water Project Water, we must rely more on groundwater. Groundwater picks up naturally occurring minerals such as calcium and magnesium as it percolates into the aquifer. You may see deposits on fixtures, or spots on glasses or porcelain. The spots can usually be removed with products such as white vinegar and/or baking soda.

Be assured that hard water does not pose any threat to your health or the quality of your drinking water. SCV Water is committed to maintaining high quality drinking water, which undergoes more than 20,000 tests each year. We continue to meet or surpass standards set by the State Water Resources Control Board-Division of Drinking Water and other regulatory agencies. Learn more at yourSCVwater.com/water-quality.

The average American wastes about 2,500 gallons of water every month, much of that through irrigation. Watch this video to learn how to do a quick, 10-minute irrigation system checkup to save water and money.

SCV Water’s supply portfolio comes from four main sources. In 2022, that looks like this:

More than a quarter (17,300 acre-feet) of our water comes from local, sustainable groundwater sources.

Typically, the State Water Project provides nearly 75% of our water needs. However, in an unprecedented decision spurred by extreme drought conditions, the California Department of Water Resources announced a zero percent initial allocation from the State Water Project to SCV Water, in December 2021. In early 2022, the allocation was increased to 15% due to a significant early winter storm. Find out more.

We store 141,000 acre-feet of water in underground aquifers in Kern County as a dry-year supply, to use in times of need.

While you may be thinking 'California is always in a drought', let us help you understand why this drought matters to us in the Santa Clarita Valley.

In the SCV, the intensity of this drought reached the “exceptional” level in 9 months, 3.5 times faster than the previous drought in 2014, which developed over 32 months.

Only after rain in December 2021, did our allocation move to 15% this January. In the last drought, the lowest SWP allocation was 5%.

Until December, 2021 was the driest water year on record for the SCV. We only received 3.38 inches of rain, compared to our annual average of 17 inches. The late storm brought record breaking rain of 11.85 inches, which locally and statewide still was not enough to completely alleviate the drought.

New year, new ways to save water! New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep, but committing to taking small steps that save water can make a big difference every day. With simple changes to your water habits, you can use less water and save on your monthly bill. Here are three easy steps to make 2022 your year to save:

To help you meet your water-saving resolution, SCV Water has programs and rebates available for customers.

With small simple changes, we can all do our part to save more water in 2022. Visit DroughtReadySCV.com for more info.

Winter is here, which means it’s time to adjust your outdoor watering to one day per week. The majority of water in the Santa Clarita Valley is used outdoors, so this one step can get us well on our way to a 15% savings.

yourSCVwater.com // (661) 297-1600