The expanding short-term rental market has posed a central and critical question. Is there potential for increasing demand on local water resources? In the Idyllwild area, three water districts — Fern Valley, Idyllwild and Pine Cove — are responsible for providing water to their customers for drinking, cooking, bathing, gardening, car washing and other uses….

After several months of discussion, the directors of the Idyllwild Water District approved an ordinance for mandatory recycled water use.   The new ordinance mandates the use of recycled water “for the following purposes: agricultural irrigation, construction use, landscape irrigation, landscape and or recreation impoundments and wildlife habitat.” The board also declared the use of…