Water cuts likely in Cloverdale, Healdsburg

<p>While Sonoma County's northernmost cities, Healdsburg and Cloverdale, are independent from the county Water Agency, both are likely to have water rationing put into effect, officials say.</p><p>Both cities have wells that draw from the Russian River.</p><p>"We're certainly going to be talking about mandatory water conservation," Jim Flugum, Healdsburg's senior civil engineer, said Monday.</p><p>He said that likely could take the form of restricting residents' outdoor water use to every other day. The target would likely be a 30 percent cut in water use.</p><p>He noted that in 2007, voluntary conservation efforts resulted in at least a 16 percent cut of water use overall in Healdsburg.</p><p>Flugum said no date has been scheduled for the City Council to usher in water restrictions, but "to me it looks like something does need to happen as soon as possible."</p><p>Cloverdale officials also expect to impose conservation measures.</p><p>"We will do the same as we see going on with other agencies," said Diana Edwards, Cloverdale's finance and accounting manager.</p><p>Cloverdale in the 2006 and 2007 had both voluntary and mandatory conservation measures enacted because of problems with some of its wells. Residents were only allowed to use water outdoors every other day. Water use was cut by 15 percent.</p><p>But Edwards said some residents were lackadaisical about fixing leaks.</p><p>"We're looking at ways to get people who are neglectful, to have things taken care of, or pay a price," she said.</p>