Idyllwild Water District General Manager Terry Lyons has ordered that the district advance to Water Conservation Stage 2, effective Sept. 1. Water conservation in Idyllwild is no longer optional.

Specifically, IWD’s Ordinance No. 62 requires users of district water to:

  • Limit irrigation of outdoor plants and gardens to the period between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. daily, and stop all water runoff.
  • Cease filling or refilling swimming pools, except that a small amount of water may be used to replace evaporation losses in a filled pool.
  • Wash motor vehicles and equipment only from a bucket using a hose with a shutoff nozzle.
  • Make immediate repairs to any and all leaking water lines and faucets in household plumbing and yard piping.
  • Cease irrigating native vegetation and unplanted areas for dust control. Also, restaurants shall only provide drinking water upon request.

Filling outside large portable irrigation water tanks with IWD water would put more demand on the system. IWD is seeking water haulers for non-potable irrigation water to assist customers.

While Stage 2 is in effect, the district’s third tier water rate will increase by 100 percent. For Residential 1 customers, usage exceeding 1,000 cubic feet in one billing period will double from $0.1007 to $0.2014 cubic feet.

For other customer groups the increase is R2, above 1,500 cf; R3, above 2,900 cf; R4, above 5,000 cf; and for R5, above 8,800 cf. Construction water will be sold at the third tier.

Violations of Stage 2 restrictions will activate penalties for failure to comply. A written warning notice will be issued on the first violation. Further violations will result in imposition of disincentive surcharges amounting to two or three times the amount of the total water bill and installing a flow-restricting device. Continued violations could result in termination of water service.