Historically, Tri-Valley companies and residents have responded admirably when asked to conserve water. During the extreme drought in 2014 and 2015, for example, water customers cut back significantly, and water use stayed below 2014 levels for several years, according to the Tri-Valley Zone 7 Water Agency. Unfortunately, water usage has crept up. Once again, businesses and residents are urged to reduce their use of water.

Action Needed

"We are nearly halfway through the third year of this unprecedented drought and unfortunately, we are seeing water usage increase, rather than decrease," according to  Zone 7 General Manager Valerie Pryor. "If we are going to successfully weather this drought, we need all hands-on deck–residents and businesses alike must do all they can to conserve water. We are confident that the business community will step up to meet this new call to action and help our community towards a more sustainable future. And in return, we are here to support businesses interested in replacing turf with native plants and other low-water-use landscaping with rebate programs and technical expertise." 

Zone 7 Water Agency treats and manages water supplies for eastern Alameda County, including the Cities of Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon. Drinking water service is provided to these regions by water retailers Cal Water, the Cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, and Dublin San Ramon Services District.

"Climate change will make droughts more frequent and severe in the future," according to City of Livermore Interim Water Resources Manager Anthony Smith. "The Tri-Valley's water agencies are encouraging their non-residential property owners to consider replacing their non-functional turf with low-water landscaping during this fall's planting season. Not only will it improve your property's appearance during our current drought, but it will permanently lower your water use." 

In June, a new emergency water conservation regulation from the California State Water Resources Control Board came into effect. Commercial, institutional, and industrial properties statewide are prohibited from irrigating "non-functional" turf with drinking water. Non-functional turf is defined as grass that is meant to be decorative and is not used for recreation or civic or community events. "Turf that has a functional purpose or is irrigated with recycled water can still be watered," according to Zone 7 officials, who say the regulation affects non-residential properties such as the offices, retail stores, hotels, places of worship, and nonprofit organizations common at Hacienda.

"In addition to the irrigation ban for non-functional turf, potable water irrigation restrictions are in place for all other types of landscaping at Tri-Valley non-residential properties," say water officials. "Water use rules limit outdoor irrigation to no more than three days a week, and irrigation should occur in the evening or early morning to minimize evaporation."

In September 2021, the Zone 7 Board of Directors declared a Drought Emergency and Stage 2 Water Shortage Emergency. As a result, all Zone 7 water retailers–including the City of Livermore and the City of Pleasanton–have been operating under a mandatory reduction of water use by 15% compared to the same time period in 2020. On May 1 of this year, the City of Pleasanton implemented Stage 2 Drought Rates for its water customers, on top of existing water rates, in response to the continuing water shortage.

Rebates and Resources

Pleasanton and other Tri-Valley water officials have done much more than raise water rates to encourage conservation. They have also created new rebate programs and compiled lists of resources to help commercial as well as residential water customers reduce their use of water. In June, for example, the City of Pleasanton raised the rebate for converting eligible lawns into a less thirsty, water-saving landscape using approved techniques. Zone 7 also offers a Water-Efficient Lawn Conversion Program. Commercial and Irrigation water customers in Pleasanton can receive up to $10,000 by participating in both the city and Zone 7 programs. Residential customers can get a rebate of up to $2,575 if they qualify for both programs. 

Funding for the programs is limited and based on a first-come, first-served basis, according to city officials. Additional rebate programs are available for water customers in other Tri-Valley cities. Both Zone 7 and the City of Pleasanton maintain a list of water-conservation tips and additional resources.

Later this month, the 19th Annual Water Conservation Showcase features nine webinar presentations that will "provide information on water-conserving strategies, water source technologies, water availability concerns, new policies, and recently available publications and tools," according to the organizers. The free webinar topics include  Water-Energy Nexus in California: New research and tools; Home Water Makeovers: Solutions for all budgets; Case Studies in Water Efficient Design and Building Management; Innovative Sources for Water in an Age of Limited Supply; and Climate Change and California's Water Future. Webinars are scheduled for July 20, July 27, August 3, and August 10, 2022.

Event hosts include the U.S. Green Building Council Northern California, East Bay Municipal Utility District, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Committee on the Environment from the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects, San Jose Water, and the PG&E Energy Centers. Attendees must sign up for a free PG&E Energy Center account to register for one or more webinar.

The current drought may seem daunting, but the City of Pleasanton has been preparing for this situation over many years and in different ways. Six years ago, in August 2016, city officials began installing a recycled water distribution system intended to serve many landscapes then irrigated with potable water. As soon as that system was in place, Hacienda began using recycled water for its landscaping. Currently, recycled water is used for approximately two-thirds of the development's landscaping. Hacienda has also developed design standards that call for the use of low water-using landscapes as well.

It is worth noting "that water saving strategies inevitably save energy since energy is required to purify, distribute, treat, and heat water," according to organizers of the Water Conservation Showcase. That means every drop of water saved is a double win for Hacienda tenants, other water customers, the public, and the planet. 

For more information about Zone 7 Water Agency rebate programs, please visit www.zone7water.com/rebate-programs. For tips about water conservation, please visit www.zone7water.com/about-water-conservation.

For more information about City of Pleasanton water-conservation rebates, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/os/env/water/rebates.asp. For more conservation resources, please visit www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/os/env/water/default.asp.

For more information about the Water Conservation Showcase, please visit www.waterconservationshowcase.com.

For additional water conservation resources, please see www.hacienda.org/news-events/hacienda-online/pulse/2021/feature/tri-valley-bolsters-water-resilience.