Cloverdale residents asked to limit outdoor water use to alternate days

<p>Cloverdale residents, who have made progress in conserving water the past few years, are being asked to get even stingier with their use.</p><p>Residents once again are being urged to limit lawn irrigation and other outdoor water uses to alternate days, depending on what part of the city they live in.</p><p>Last year, Cloverdale overall managed to cut water use by 13 percent compared to 2004, according to City Engineer Paul Wade. But city officials want them to cut back even more.</p><p>The voluntary conservation measures, effective June 1, are intended to achieve a 25 percent or greater reduction in water usage from the 2004 base year.</p><p>"It will be very difficult," City Manager Nina Regor acknowledged Tuesday, noting that average consumption decreased the past several years as a result of conservation measures.</p><p>Under the new guidelines, landscape and lawn watering is allowed between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., but only every other day except Mondays, when no watering is allowed.</p><p>The north section of town -- north of West Cherry Creek Road, west of South Cloverdale Boulevard and north of East Citrus Fair Drive -- may water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.</p><p>The south section of town -- south of West Cherry Creek Road, east of South Cloverdale Boulevard and south of East Citrus Fair Drive -- may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.</p><p>Non-essential uses of water, including washing motor vehicles, trailers, boats and outdoor furniture, can be done at any time of day, but only on the designated days.</p><p>The measures announced this week follow a third year of below normal rainfall.</p><p>Violators, for now, don't face penalties, other than peer pressure. "The neighbors might scowl at them," Wade said.</p><p>In case the voluntary measures aren't enough, city officials are working on mandatory conservation contingency plans.</p><p>The state Water Resources Control Board has a summertime 25 percent water conservation target for most of Sonoma County, although Cloverdale and Healdsburg fall under a different regulatory scheme. Other Sonoma County cities also have voluntary conservation measures in place.</p><p>Cloverdale, which relies solely on wells next to the Russian River for its drinking water, is especially vulnerable to restricted releases from Lake Mendocino to protect fish migration.</p><p>In addition, Cloverdale in recent years had problems with its wells, leading to both voluntary and mandatory conservation measures. In 2006 and 2007, residents were only allowed to use water outdoors every other day.</p><p>Cloverdale residents who have questions about the new guidelines, or need help setting or adjusting irrigation controllers, can call the public works department at 894-1705.</p><p>Residents also may use that number to report water leaks and discuss other water conservation issues.</p><p>Cloverdale city employees will be following the voluntary measures on city-owned property. But because of the size of some city parks and the inability to water until after the parks close at 10 p.m., some city parks may still be getting irrigated as late as 9 a.m. on some days.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@</p><p>pressdemocrat.com.</p>