Fair Oaks Water District Asks Customers to Voluntarily Reduce Water Use by at Least 20 Percent

Fair Oaks, Calif. – The Fair Oaks Water District is requesting their customers to voluntarily reduce water use by at least 20 percent to help conserve water for the region. Folsom Lake, the primary water supply for the Sacramento Region could reach record low levels before the end of summer if dry conditions continue. 

The FOWD has invested millions of dollars in new groundwater wells and implemented plans over the past several years to provide local groundwater to meet customer water demands during these times – the District is committed to helping the Sacramento Region keep water in Folsom Lake and to provide the water needed to meet the environmental needs of the lower American River. “The FOWD has worked hard to have an adequate water supply in dry and emergency conditions for our customer’s needs,” said Fair Oaks Water District Board President Misha Sarkovich. “But by reducing customer water demands now, we can help the Sacramento Region manage through these unprecedented dry conditions.”

Here are a few things you can do:

1. Limit landscape watering to only once a week – but please water your mature trees as needed.
2. Do not wash streets, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, or buildings, except as necessary for health or sanitary purposes.
3. Immediately fix leaky pipes, sprinklers, and other outdoor water-using fixtures.
4. Do not refill swimming pools or fountains, except as necessary for health or sanitary purposes.
5. Reduce water use inside by washing only full loads of clothes, turning off the water while cleaning dishes, brushing teeth, or shaving and repairing leaky toilets and faucets.
6. Take advantage of rebate opportunities and conservation programs offered by Water Districts.
7. Attempt to make every drop count - Water must be used for beneficial purposes only; unnecessary and wasteful uses of water are prohibited.

More ideas can be found by visiting the FOWD website: www.fowd.com.

“Current water supplies available to the FOWD will meet projected customer water demand and the District is requesting a voluntary 20 percent reduction of customer water use to help the Sacramento Region. Without a significant reduction in local water use, I believe more demanding water conservation mandates will come before the end of the summer of 2021” stated Fair Oaks Water District General Manager Tom Gray.  “Immediately reducing water demands will help us evaluate how much more may need to be reduced as we live through a hot summer.  We are working closely with all the water suppliers in the Sacramento region to best use our region’s groundwater and limited surface water in the most effective manner to serve all of our customers,” Mr. Gray added.