The Board of Directors for Vallecitos Water District – an independent, special district dedicated to providing water, wastewater and reclamation services to approximately 86, 500 people – recently voted to downgrade its drought declaration.

This follows similar Board actions taken by its wholesalers, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and San Diego County Water Authority, after determining the abundant winter rains and snowfall were enough to bolster supplies to be imported from their Colorado River Aqueduct and State Water Project sources.

Although this action immediately suspends mandatory water use restrictions, Vallecitos is asking all customers to remain diligent in maintaining current conservation levels in response to state water-saving mandates and any drought conditions likely to return between now and 2020.

Dry conditions combined with legal rulings restricting pumping from the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta throughout much of the state, presented one of the most challenging water-supply scenarios the past three years. To avert similar circumstances in the future, SBX7-7, legislation requiring all urban water providers in the state to conserve 20 percent by 2020, was approved.

Due to drought-based, mandatory water-use restrictions, Vallecitos customers consistently achieved conservation levels well beyond our wholesaler’s allotment, even bordering at the 20 percent benchmark established by the state. The District thanks all customers for their actions and asks for much of the same moving forward in achieving SBX7-7 compliance.

Help save water today for a more sustainable tomorrow. For more information on conservation practices, go to www.vwd.org <http://www.vwd.org> or www.bewaterwise.com <http://www.bewaterwise.com>