Menlo Park Municipal District Water activates conservation plan

Responding to the current drought, a new California State mandate requires water suppliers to activate their water conservation plans. In compliance with this law, the Menlo Park City Council activated the existing Menlo Park Municipal Water District Conservation plan. This plan will only affect Menlo Park Municipal Water District customers.

Please refer to the interactive map of Water Districts in Menlo Park if you do not know your water provider.

The new State law specifically restricts the following activities:

• Applying potable water to any driveway or sidewalk.
• Using potable water on outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures.
• Using a hose that dispenses potable water to wash a motor vehicle, unless the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle.
• Using potable water in fountains or decorative water features, unless the water is recirculated. Recycled water is not mandated, but encouraged for fountain use.

Note: The Menlo Park Municipal District Water Conservation plan includes a 30% district-wide water reduction goal. This is a collective/overall reduction goal and will not be applied to individual customers. In order to achieve this shared goal here are some tips for conserving water:

Indoor Tips to Conserve Water

• Replace standard toilets with WaterSense-labeled toilet, install a toilet take water-saving insert, or replace old, leaky toilet flappers—a relatively easy, inexpensive do-it-yourself project that pays for itself in no time.
• Replace clothes washers with an EnergyStar-labeled washer and only wash a full load of clothes.
• Replace standard showerheads with WaterSense-labeled showerheads and reduce the length of showers or turn off the water while washing your hair (saves up to 150 gallons per month).
• Install WaterSense-labeled faucets or aerators on all faucets, and reduce the amount of time the faucet is running by two minutes per person per day.
• Use a fully loaded dishwasher or separated wash/rinse tubs for washing dirty dishes.
• Recycle indoor water outdoors: put a bucket in your shower and use it to water plants.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons of water every time.

Outdoor Tips to Conserve Water

• Let your lawn go dormant. Brown is the new green! Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three to four weeks, less if it rains.
• Replace most outdoor turfgrass and plants with water-wise landscaping (i.e. native plants) and irrigate by hand, only as needed.
• Repair leaky or broken sprinkler heads.
• Install hose nozzles with automatic shut off valves.
• Install a drip irrigation system for non-turfgrass plants.
• Water in the early morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation.
• To clean walkways, driveways, and entrances, use a broom rather than hosing off areas.
• Use a commercial car wash that recycles water. Or, wash your car on the lawn to water your grass at the same time.
• Use a pool cover for your swimming pool to reduce evaporation.

For more water conservation tips, Frequently Asked Questions, and contact information, please visit http://www.menlopark.org/drought.