The drought may be over, but many water-use restrictions remain.
For the last five years, Californians have adjusted to a new reality when it comes to water usage.
Not much will change now that the drought emergency is officially over.
After unprecedented rainfall and the development of a robust Sierra-Cascades snowpack, Gov.
Jerry Brown declared an end to the drought emergency on April 7.
Many of the restrictions put into place during the dry years will remain, including those set forth in a May 2016 executive order, which determined permanent water use standards for municipalities, businesses and individuals.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) states that the following prohibitions, specific to San Francisco residents, will remain indefinitely: Using a hose, without a shut-off nozzle, for any purpose; Washing sidewalks, driveways, plazas, and other outdoor hardscapes for reasons other than health, safety, or to meet City of San Francisco standards for sidewalk cleanliness and in a manner that causes runoff to storm drains and sewer catch basins; Using drinking water for soil compaction, dust control, or other non-essential construction purposes if non-potable water is available; Watering outdoor landscapes with potable water during and within 48 hours after a rain event; Watering with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians; Irrigation of landscapes outside of new homes and buildings in a non-efficient manner; Using drinking water in non-recirculating fountains or decorative water devices; Serving water at restaurants without customer request; and Not providing hotel guests the option to reuse towels and linens.
SFPUC takes a "progressive education" approach when it comes to enforcement of restrictions, says SFPUC’s water conservation manager Julie Ortiz.
"The next drought could be as soon as next year," said SFPUC spokesperson Suzanne Gautier, who has experienced five droughts since moving to California in 1978.
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