Although the recent rains have brought us much relief, it is only February and our reservoirs need to supply us through the summer and into the next winter. Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino us the Russian River and Dry Creek as conveyance systems to distribute water to the utility companies that service us. According to a recent study by the Sonoma County Water Agency, our reservoirs are currently at around 67,000 acre feet and need to be around 90,000 acre feet to make it through the year. Water use in Santa Rosa has been averaged at about 56 gallons per user (home or meter) per day and we need to set a goal of 30 gallons per user per day.
To conserve water effectively, we have to make smart water use a way of life, not just a short term sacrifice. Talking to your county and city agencies, your landscapers and other professionals is a great way to start. They can let you know of rebates for installing low use utilities such as toilets and dishwashers. Removing grass and looking for more drought tolerant landscaping solutions can assist in long term savings and should be done by a licensed and insured professional. Adopting habits as simple as shutting off the water while brushing your teeth and not letting the faucet run and catching shower water as it heats up to water your plants with can make big changes to your personal conservation.
There are many organizations out there that have great information on the drought, conservation and rebates available. Here are just a few:
http://www.savingwaterpartnership.org
http://www.sonomacountywater.org
http://www.wateroff.org
http://www.dsireusa.org
