San Jose Water restrictions effective July 9, in an effort to comply with mandatory county-wide water restrictions

San Jose Water customers across the South Bay will face new water reduction requirements beginning next week as part of County-wide restrictions implemented in response to extreme drought conditions. Earlier this month, we reported the Santa Clara Valley Water District declared a water shortage emergency and called upon residents and businesses to reduce their water use by 15%.

This past week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency due to extreme drought conditions and is calling on all residents and businesses in the county’s unincorporated areas to immediately begin conserving water.

San Jose Water has now taken similar actions that echo the seriousness of the threats posed by the extreme drought.

“During every drought, our customers have done extraordinarily well saving water to meet our local emergency conditions. We ask them again to put conservation at the forefront so we can meet the 15% goal,” said Andy Gere, SJW’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

Beginning Friday, July 9, San Jose Water, which covers 230,000 customers, is implementing the following restrictions:

  • Limits Watering to Two Days per Week: Watering or irrigating of lawns, landscape or other vegetated areas with potable water is limited to two days per week. Irrigation will be allowed Mondays and Thursdays for odd numbered and numberless addresses, and will be allowed on Tuesdays and Fridays for even numbered addresses.
  • Limits Timing and Length of Watering: Watering or irrigating of outside plants, lawn, landscape, and turf areas with potable water using a landscape irrigation system or a watering device that is not continuously attended, is limited to no more than 15 minutes of watering per day per station, with no watering between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
  • Limits Filling Decorative Fountains or Ornamental Lakes or Ponds: Prohibition of the use of potable water for filling or re-filling decorative fountains, ornamental lakes or ponds more than one foot, except when fountains or ponds/lakes are drained for repairs, and except to the extent needed to sustain aquatic life in ponds/lakes, provided that such animals are of significant value and have been actively managed within the water feature prior to declaration of a supply shortage level.
  • Limits Washing Vehicles: Washing of vehicles, except at a commercial car washing facility that utilizes recycled water or re-circulating water system to capture or reuse water.
  • Limit Use of Potable Water for Washing Buildings: Also structures, sidewalks, walkways, driveways, patios, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced, non-porous areas, except to protect the health and safety of the public.

At this time, there will not be any penalties for excess water use, but SJW is asking all customers to comply.

For more information on the upcoming restrictions, click here.