STPUD on target to meet California's 2025 water target for South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Climate change requires Californians to use water more wisely and prepare for more frequent and persistent periods of limited water supply. Two new water efficiency bills are now in place in the state as a response to more frequent droughts and dry spells. SB606 and AB1668 were created to help the state better prepare for future droughts and other effects of climate change on the State’s water supplies.

While water conservation has been a way of life for those living on the South Shore and in the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD), not all areas of the state have been as proactive.

With the roll-out of the two bills, water budgets have been established for every water district. STPUD serves a population of 29,588 people who, along with visitors, use 1,896,000 gallons of water annually. Per the water budget, STPUD customers need to reduce usage by 14 percent by 2025, 29 percent by 2030, and 32 percent by 2035.

STPUD has been working closely with the Department of Water Resources on developing a seasonal population variance for indoor water use and a modified approach for outdoor water use due to our dense canopy cover, according to Shelly Thomsen, the District's Director of Public and Legislative Affairs.

"As of right now, we believe that with our proactive water efficient rebates, designated watering days, and the proposed seasonal population variance, we will meet the 2025 standards," said Thomsen. "We will continue to evaluate the impacts of the state’s water reduction mandates on our water budget and may adjust our conservation program in the future to comply. The District is still awaiting information on reduction targets for landscaping and the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. We are actively working with the state, as well as regional partners to ensure that mountain county issues are being considered."

Residents in the District have used watering on odd and even days for years, not just during times of extreme drought. As STPUD waits for news on the variance and how it would impact their water budget, they are considering revisions to the Water Conservation Ordinance to align with proposed state mandates that would limit irrigating midday and require drip irrigation to follow designated watering days.

Water providers like STPUD continue to encourage conservation by offering their customers a variety of rebates for replacing their older, less efficient fixtures with newer, more efficient models, and encouraging low water use landscaping with a turf buy-back program.