Santa Rosa asks residents to cut water use by 20%

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The Santa Rosa City Council decided Tuesday to ask residents to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 20 percent.

The action asks residents to take such steps as finding and fixing leaks, reducing outdoor irrigation, converting to drought-tolerant landscaping, taking shorter showers and turning off the water while brushing teeth, the city said.

The council vote follows a drought declaration by Gov. Gavin Newsom for the Russian River watershed and a request by the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership for a 20-percent region-wide reduction.  

The Russian River is the primary source of water for the city's population of 180,000, supplied via aqueduct by the Sonoma County Water Agency.

The agency's two reservoirs, Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma, "are at the lowest levels ever recorded for this time of year," the city said.

"To achieve necessary water savings, we all need to take action now," Mayor Chris Rogers said. "Changing simple habits, like reducing your irrigation run times and shortening showers can make a big difference and will help us to meet our community-wide water savings target."

Water-saving kits will be offered at a Drought Drop-By event will be held by Santa Rosa Water from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 12 in parking lot B at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds at Brookwood Avenue and Bennett Valley Road. Kits will include a bucket, high-efficiency shower heads, faucet aerators, shower and a shower timer, along with free advice.