City Beat
Morgan Hill Values Water
Submitted By: Anthony Eulo, City of Morgan Hill Program Administrator, Anthony. eulo @ morganhill. ca. gov 408.310.4179
Maureen Tobin, Communications and Engagement Manager Maureen. tobin @ morganhill. ca. gov 408.310.4706
In June, the Morgan Hill City Council took action to update Morgan Hill’ s Water Use Ordinance to reflect a new way of life in relation to water use with continued conservation as the new normal. During the recent historic drought, the Morgan Hill community responded exceptionally to the call for conservation. The City’ s per capita water production was reduced by over 35 % in 2015 and 2016 when compared to the index year of 2013. The community saved nearly a billion gallons of water in 2015 alone. Thank you Morgan Hill!
While the bountiful winter brought the State, Region, and City out of the drought, most experts agree that California must continue to treat water as a precious resource that is highly valued. When considered together, climate change, seismic instability, and biological concerns paint an uncertain picture of California’ s future water supply. With this in mind, the State Water Resources Control Board and other State agencies finalized their report, Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life, in April 2017. The framework introduced in this report will evolve into regulations requiring all water agencies, including the City, to take steps toward higher levels of permanent conservation.
Acting as a leader in water conservation, the City of Morgan Hill moved ahead in updating its current ordinance in order to permanently encourage greater levels of conservation. Under the updated ordinance Morgan Hill residents will follow a schedule that allows for irrigating a maximum of three days per week from April 1— October 31:
• Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for odd numbered addresses and properties with no address
• Tuesday, Fridays, and Sundays for even numbered addresses
• No watering on Wednesdays
• Watering is permitted before 9am and after 7pm
• Watering is limited to no more than 15 minutes per watering station
During the winter months, from November 1 – March 31, irrigation will be one day a week on Wednesdays only.
In support of sustained water conservation, the City of Morgan Hill will continue to offer a full range of economic assistance( rebates), demonstration gardens, and educational programs to encourage water conservation. Water is always a precious resource in Morgan Hill and there is never enough to waste.
For additional information about the updated ordinance, irrigation schedules and water conservation in Morgan Hill visit mhvalueswater. com, email us at environ @ morganhill. ca. gov or call us at 308.310.4195.
Save Water Forever!
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JULY / AUGUST 2017 gmhtoday. com
57