Residents urged to keep saving during summer months

The California State Water Resources Control Board has lowered its water conservation requirement for Benicia from the 28 percent announced earlier this year to 20 percent, Public Works Director Graham Wadsworth said Thursday.

Wadsworth and other city officials had been pressing for a reduction in the amount residents must reduce their water consumption in comparison to 2013 volumes.

He said Benicia’s conservation target was adjusted after the city submitted revised gallon-per-person calculations that more accurately reflected water production in 2014 and complied with the Water Board’s reporting requirements.

“The Water Board is refining its implementation of an executive order by Governor Jerry Brown to reduce statewide water use overall by 25 percent,” Wadworth explained.

“Benicia already is way ahead of state-mandated targets. Residents conserved 36 percent in April and nearly 43 percent in May, compared to the same months in 2013, the Water Board’s comparison year for measuring statewide progress,” he said.

“Benicians deserve to be congratulated for their hard work,” City Manager Brad Kilger said. “Not only are residents exceeding the state-mandated target, our conservation rate in April was among the highest in the state.”

Kilger and Wadsworth urged residents and business owners to continue conserving.

Benicia Water Quality Technician David Wenslawski said some may be tempted to turn on sprinklers as temperatures rise. However, the city allows landscape irrigation only three days a week, and then only between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Those interested in other tips and rebates may call the city’s Water Conservation Team at 707-7464380 or email them at water@ci.benicia.ca.us.

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