West Sacramento resident Chuck Buckner takes a lot of pride in his yard. Still he's happy to do his part to help conserve water.
"We have to cut back," Buckner said. "I'm trying to cut back."
The City of West Sacramento has enacted new mandatory water restrictions due to the state's ongoing severe drought. Among the restrictions is a crackdown on when you can water your lawn: Outdoor watering between noon and 6 p.m. is now banned. Residents are limited to watering only three times a week.
Resident Margaret Trussell said she's been conserving water for awhile.
"I think they're needed." Trussell added. "And I think they have been for a long time."
A lot of the lawns in West Sacramento are lush and green for now. But just across the river in Sacramento, where mandatory restrictions have been in place for a few months, brown patches and even entirely brown lawns aren't hard to find. One unique difference between the two cities, Sacramento only allows for two days of watering.
"They just don't know -- it's actually really easy to keep your lawn green," Green Acres Nursery Horticulturist Greg Gayton said.
According to Gayton, even one day of watering will do the trick. The key, he said, is proper maintenance.
"Dethatching, aerating," Gayton explained. "As long as you keep the root system established in your lawn, it should be no problem.
Gayton also suggests investing in new sprinkler heads that work to penetrate the roots and reduce runoff.
But as the drought gets worse, people are concerned their conservation can only do so much.
"I'm worried about if we don't get rain this winter," Trussell said. "What's going to happen next year?"
The following restrictions are in place until further notice:
- Using potable water to wash down buildings or to cool building roofs is prohibited.
- Watering of lawns or landscaping between noon and 6 p.m. is prohibited.
- Outdoor watering limited to an odd/even schedule - Customers with street addresses that end in an odd number may only irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Customers with street addresses that end in an even number may only irrigate on Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays. No irrigation is permitted on Mondays.
- Washing a motor vehicle using a hose without a shut-off nozzle is prohibited.
- Using drinkable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature is prohibited unless the water is part of a recirculating system.
- Using drinking water to water outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff to adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots or structures is prohibited.
Enforcement of these prohibitions will include a series of written notices in compliance with City Municipal Code and will include penalties for third and subsequent violations of the same type of violation.
