Stage 3 water restrictions: Santa Rosa Water offers help for businesses

Santa Rosa, along with rest of Sonoma County, is experiencing critical drought conditions. On June 29, 2021, Santa Rosa City Council declared a drought emergency and enacted Stage 3 of the City’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. This Stage institutes a 20 percent mandatory community-wide reduction in water use, and includes the following prohibitions and restrictions that may impact your business:
- Water waste due to breaks, leaks, or excess use in prohibited. This includes leaking faucets, toilets, and appliances, as well as broken irrigation pipes, leaking irrigation valves, and broken sprinkler heads, and runoff from properties due to overwatering or mis-directed sprinklers.
- Using potable water for washing hard surfaces (e.g., sidewalks, driveways, and patios) unless required for public health and safety is prohibited.
- Hose end shut-off nozzles are required for all hoses.
- Restaurants may only serve water upon request.
- Hotel and lodging establishments must message about the drought, including laundering of linens only upon request.
- Pressure washing with potable water (except for public health and safety) is prohibited unless a variance is obtained from Santa Rosa Water.
- Landscape irrigation is limited to the hours of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Santa Rosa Water is offering a number of free materials to help our community and your business comply with the Stage 3 prohibitions and restrictions:
- “Drought is Here. Save Water” static clings to place in windows or on mirrors
- “Water Gladly Served. Just Ask!” tabletop cards for restaurants (editable files available)
- “Drought is Here. Save Water” towel and linen cards for hotel and lodging establishments (editable files available)
- “Drought is Here. Save Water” yard signs for home/business (8’x4’ banners/installation also available)
Additional free services include an onsite WaterSmart Indoor and Outdoor Checkup with a customized report for your business that includes current water use findings and recommendations to improve water use efficiency, and rebates to help incentivize project implementation that will not only save water, but also can lower overhead costs and increase property value.
Please email watersmart@srcity.org or call (707) 543-3985 to request free drought materials.
Visit www.srcity.org/SaveWater for more information on all of the services available for your home and business.
Contact Program Manager, Deb Lane directly at (707) 543-4506 or dlane@srcity.org.