Calaveras Conserves
CALAVERAS COUNTY WATER CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP
HISTORY
Calaveras Conserves was formed in Spring, 2015 as an opportunity for agencies to provide a consistent outreach message to the community during droughts. All major water agencies in Calaveras County are members including, Union Public Utility District, Valley Springs Public Utility District, City of Angels, Blue Lake Springs Mutual Water Company, Utica Power and Water Authority, Calaveras Public Utility District and Calaveras County Water District. As a partnership, these agencies are meeting regularly during the current drought with the goal of providing the most up to date water conservation information for customers throughout the County.
USE WATER WISELY
Calaveras Conserves encourages residents and visitors of the County to use water efficiently and prepare for extended dry conditions. While no mandatory conservation measures have been imposed by state officials, Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on all Californians to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 15 percent compared to 2020 levels. However, state officials my be providing updates to conservation measures in the near future.
As we move into the hotter, summer months, we will continue to thank Calaveras County residents and visitors for their ongoing water-use efficiency efforts and will remind everyone to use water wisely. The Calaveras County community can practice water efficiency year-round and make a difference by finding and fixing leaks, taking shorter showers and installing water efficient landscaping.
Calaveras County Water Agency
Water Shortage Response Status
The Urban Water Management Planning Act requires that each water supplier provide a Water Shortage Contingency Plan that outlines how the supplier will prepare for and respond to water shortages. Each water agency in Calaveras County moves into stages of response based on the water supply conditions within their service area. See below for the most current conservation response stage for your local water agency.
| Water Agency | Website |
|---|---|
| Blue Lake Springs Mutual Water Company | https://blsmwc.com/ |
| Calaveras County Water District | https://ccwd.org/conservation/water-use-efficiency/ |
| Calaveras Public Utility District | https://www.cpud.org/ |
| City of Angels | http://angelscamp.gov/water/ |
| Union Public Utility District | https://www.upudwater.com/conservation/ |
| Utica Water and Power Authority | https://www.uticawater.com/about/water-conservation/ |
| Valley Springs Public Utility District | https://www.vspud.com/ |
- Water your lawn early in the morning or at night to avoid excess evaporation.
- Do not over-water your lawn.
- Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture.
- Aerate your lawn: Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
- Check outdoor faucets and hoses for leaks.
- Check automatic sprinklers for leaks, and make sure they are not running when it is raining.
- Use a broom, rather than a hose to clean sidewalks or driveways
- If you have a swimming pool, use a cover. By so doing, you can cut the loss of water by evaporation by 90 percent.
- Do not pour toxic chemicals (such as cleaning products, motor oil, weed killers, or paints) down the drain. Dispose of them properly. Proper disposal is key to water conservation because water is easily contaminated. One gallon of improperly disposed motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water.
- Use drip irrigation.
- Plant low water-use plants.
- Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation.
- Use a hose nozzle to turn off the water while you wash your car.
- Fully load the dishwasher and clothes washer before running.
- When washing dishes by hand, or when brushing your teeth, do not leave the water running.
- Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Dripping faucets can waste up to 2,000 gallons of water each year in the average home. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons per day.
- Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in a microwave instead of running hot water over the food.
- Use water-efficient shower heads
- Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants or outdoor plants.
- Insulate hot water pipes so you don’t have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet. You can save this running water too for watering your indoor plants.
- Choose water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
- Report significant water losses from broken pipes, open fire hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or to the District.
- Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
- Encourage schools to develop and promote water conservation.
- Support projects that use reclaimed waste water for irrigation and other uses.
Water saving tips and conservation information are also available on these websites:
