BY RAYMOND MENDOZA
Walnut – With California going through the most devastating drought in recent history and the hottest months of summer on the horizon, the City of Walnut is staving off the worst of it according to Walnut Valley Water District General Manager, Michael Holmes.
“Our customers in Walnut have been doing a great job with water conservation since our last drought in 2007-08,” Holmes said. “Since then we’ve been at between 15 and 18 percent conservation.”
Holmes said that Walnut residents have been keen on practicing water saving techniques, including reducing children playing in water sprinklers and limiting water used for lawns and home gardens.
Holmes, who was appointed as the Water District’s General Manager in 2006, said that another reason for the City’s high water conservation is through the use of reclaimed or recycled water. Using a filtration system that takes sewage water and removes waste and certain impurities, Walnut has been using reclaimed water for grass, trees, and plants on City property and golf courses since the 1980s.
Holmes said that a portion of the City’s reclaimed water supply comes from underground wells in the Puente Basin and the Pomona Reclamation Plant.
The City also stores one million gallons of reclaimed water at the Parker Canyon facility. According to Holmes, Walnut uses about 1,900 to 2,000 acre feet of reclaimed water per year. For a breakdown of what an acre foot of water is, Holmes stated that one acre foot of water is the amount of water used by two average sized families per year, which is equal to more than 270,000 gallons of water.
While the City’s current outlook appears good, Holmes said the future of Walnut’s supply is always uncertain even with good conservation. He added that since Walnut relies100 percent on imported water from the Metropolitan Water District, shipping water in from treatment plants in La Verne and Claremont, and the Colorado River, Walnut’s water supply can be erratic from year to year.
“MWD has told us that their supplies are okay for this year,” Holmes said. “But the drought is bad and it goes from area to area. Some areas are worse than others, and we are not in dire straits, but we are asking everyone to conserve. We don’t know what’s going to happen next year.”
Everyone can help conserve water with these Drought Tips from the Walnut Valley Water District:
- Replace old washing machines with high-efficiency models. WVWD customers are eligible for a $100 rebate toward the purchase of a high-efficiency washing machine.
- Only water your lawn when it’s absolutely necessary.
- Do not let water run when washing your car.
- Turn off your faucet when brushing your teeth.
- Sweep your driveway instead of washing it.
- Install ultra-low flush toilets.
- Repair leaks to stop wasting water.
