Water Conservationcalifornia drought

Have you noticed photos of the wildflowers blooming this spring after the amazingly wet season after the recent 6-year long California Drought? We have seen the news reports and the photos all over our social media feeds. On April 7, 2017, California Governor Brown terminated the January 17, 2014 Drought State of Emergency impacting all but Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne counties. California residents successfully conserved water in unprecedented levels, reducing water use in communities by 22% between 2014 and 2017.

Throughout the drought many counties and municipalities enacted swimming pool permit restrictions in an effort to conserve water; however, luckily, we weren’t affected by these restrictions in our local area.

In fact, residential swimming pool and spa owners are already conserving water compared to a conventional backyard. Swimming pools use less water than the same square footage of a lawn and if you add in a pool deck area, rather than grass, the water savings are increased.  Drought resistant/tolerant landscaping with native plants adds even more water conservation.

According to the California Pool & Spa Association, you can continue to do your part to conserve water in the following ways:

If you own a pool:

• Install a pool cover to reduce water evaporation by as much as 90%
• Shut off waterfalls, fountains and other water features to reduce water loss and evaporation
• Check the pool for leaks, contact your pool service professional for guidance.
• Minimize splashing or lower the pool’s water level to reduce “splash out.”
• Plug the overflow line when the pool is in use.
• Replace traditional sand and DE Filters with cartridge filters that do not require backwashing.
• Keep your pool clean to reduce frequency of backwashing.
• If your pool is heated, reduce the water temperature to reduce evaporation.

If you own spa:

• Keep it covered.
• Maintain the chemicals to extend water life.
• Check the equipment for leaks.
• Drain only when absolutely necessary.
• Check with your pool service professional for new technology that helps keep the water clean and reduce the need to drain the spa.
• If you drain your spa, reuse the water to irrigate plants and landscaping.

If you have any questions about the current condition of your pool/spa and landscaping, we are happy to meet and discuss your water conservation opportunities.