At their June 20 meeting, Fern Valley Water directors unanimously declared a water shortage emergency.
The board adopted Resolution 543, spelling out its process for declaring a water shortage, defining the four stages and implementing the stages.
Fern Valley General Manager Steve Erler followed the resolution adoption with a declaration of Stage 1 Water Shortage Emergency.
In Stage 1, FVWD customers are asked to voluntarily limit water consumption, and are expected to prohibit irrigation runoff and eliminate water leaks. This includes no washing of paved surfaces such as driveways and patios, or using water for dust control.
No member of the public spoke at the district’s public hearing. Pursuant to FVWD’s rules and regulations, Erler has the authority to change the status of the water shortage emergency from Stage 1 to Stage 2 or 3, non-voluntary stages.
Erler said the flow in Tahquitz Creek was holding steady, but Strawberry Creek was dry. “Static well-level recordings for June show a decrease in most well levels,” he added. Ground water levels have dropped between zero to 9 feet, he told the board.
