NEWBURY PARK, CA, July 14, 2015 -- California American Water (CAW) -- a subsidiary of American Water, the nation's largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company -- recently announced that customers in its Ventura County service territory have reduced water use by a total of 27 percent during the month of June -- the first official month of the State Water Resource Control Boards' drought mandate. The company's goal is a 32-percent reduction compared to 2013 usage.
To help customers meet the 32-percent mandate, CAW offers a suite of water conservation tools. Rebates are available to help offset the cost of turf removal and replacement, in addition to rotating sprinkler heads, pool coversand many otherwater-saving devices. Information about rebates and how to apply is available on the company's website (here) under the Conservation and Rebate page.
CAW is taking numerous steps to help California achieve its conservation goals and mitigate the state's drought emergency. Creating sustainable water supply benefits homeowners, businesses and the environment, as well as future generations of water users. Recently, the company contracted with WaterSmart to help customers better understand their water usage by providing them access to a behavioral water-efficiency platform, which helps water utilities engage customers, improve operational efficiency and save money.
As part of the offering, CAW customers in Ventura County have begun to receive WaterSmart's Home Water Reports. Each report details their home's water use and compares the use to homes and households of similar size. Once customers understand their use and how it compares to others, they often realize they can conserve additional water. The company will be contacting its top 100 residential water customers this month to offer conservation assistance. Representatives will also be knocking on numerous doors, offering homeowners free water audits and helpful conservation tips.
Currently customers are in stage 2 of the 5-stage plan. A move to stage 3 would trigger drought surcharges for all monthly water usage beyond 1,200 cubic feet (CCF), or 8,976 gallons. "In stage 2, the only penalties are for behavioral violations, such as watering beyond the two-day limit or hosing down your driveway," said Rick Saldivar, CAW's operations manager. "In stage 3, actual usage surcharges begin." Customers would not have individual water budgets in stage 3 of the plan. Instead, the 12 CCF threshold would be based on average winter usage in CAW's Ventura County service territory.
See also:
"CA American Water pilots new web-based, water-saving technology"
"CA American Water to invest $126M in local infrastructure over next three years"
About California American Water
California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater service to approximately 600,000 people. The company's Ventura County service district includes approximately 28,000 households and businesses and serves the cities of Camarillo, a portion of Thousand Oaks, and the community of Newbury Park as well as unincorporated portions of Ventura County. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.
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