Sunnyvale declares water shortage emergency, asks residents to conserve
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. (KGO) -- Sunnyvale has become the latest city to declare a water shortage emergency.
On Tuesday, the city council voted to enter Stage 2 of its water supply shortage plan, which calls for a 15% water use reduction compared to last year and sets a maximum weekly three-day irrigation schedule.
It is the same irrigation schedule the city of Santa Clara implemented earlier this month.
Landscape and turf irrigation for properties with odd number properties or with no addresses are allowed to water only on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
Even numbered addresses can irrigate on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday and there is no irrigation allowed on Wednesdays.
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On their designated irrigating days, customers are still prohibited from irrigating between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The city said their main goal is to educate residents on water conservation efforts, so the first and second violation will not elicit a fine. However, a third violation will cost a customer $250 and a fourth violation $500.
In the report to the council, city staff said limiting irrigation days during the 2014-2016 drought proved to be an effective tool is conserving water, so they think it will help bring water use down this year too.
Sunnyvale's water shortage declaration comes nearly three weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order expanding a Drought Emergency Declaration to Santa Clara County and calling on Californians to cut water use by 15 percent compared to 2020 water use.
WATCH: Californians asked to reduce water use as Gov. Newsom declares drought emergency in more counties
