Drought Stage 1 actions are intended to initiate public awareness of water shortages and encourage conservation. The target is a District-wide, 15-percent reduction in water use through voluntary measures.

Customer Actions

Take actions under Stage “0”, plus those that follow.

  • Irrigate your landscape only during the evening and early morning hours (9:00 pm – 6:00 am) to reduce losses from evaporation and wind drift.
  • Inspect all irrigation systems, repair leaks, and adjust spray heads to provide optimum coverage and eliminate avoidable overspray.
  • Adjust irrigation run times as the weather changes. Contact us to learn more about discounts on “smart controllers” that use evapotranspiration data to help you make the proper adjustments.
  • Reduce minutes of running time for each irrigation valve if water runoff (gutter flooding) is occurring.
  • Do not refill a swimming pool that has been drained.
  • Wash vehicles using a bucket and a hose with a shutoff nozzle for a quick rinse. Commercial car washes are exempt; remember, many in our area recycle their water.
  • Take advantage of EID's water conservation incentive, rebate, and give-away programs to replace high water-using plumbing fixtures and appliances with water-efficient models.
  • Take advantage of the free information available from EID on how to use water efficiently, read your water meter, repair leaks, and irrigate efficiently.
  • Agricultural customers on EID's Irrigation Management Service (IMS) program should follow the recommended irrigation schedule. Agricultural customers not on IMS are asked to reduce their water use by 15 percent.
  • Restaurants are asked to serve water only if customers request it.

EID Actions

  • Drought team provides monthly updates on drought status to EID Board and the public.
  • Monitor water demand monthly to determine if water-saving goals are being met.
  • Initiate community drought-awareness program, focusing on water-use reduction goals and the range of voluntary steps to accomplish savings.
  • Reacquaint customers with EID’s water-waste regulation and Stage 1 customer actions.
  • Provide customers and the general public with monthly updates on the current drought stage and progress in meeting the water-savings goal.