How to Conserve Water at Home During a Torrance Drought

It’s hot. Let’s just get that out of the way. We’re in the middle of the third consecutive drought year, and everyone in SoCal is feeling some pressure from it, even if not every neighborhood has the same ordinances. During times like these, it becomes everyone’s responsibility to cut back on water usage and do our best to be efficient with the water we do use.

By placing more emphasis on conserving water during our daily activities, we can help to:

• Save water
• Minimize water waste
• Rebuild underground aquifers
• Prepare for future dry spells
• Reduce the effects of drought

These can be things you do around the house or ways you go about landscaping your yard. Sometimes it is a one-time replacement or upgrade that suddenly saves gallons upon gallons of water – you never know. Read on to find out how you can implement minor things that make a major difference.

Torrance Water Restrictions 2022

You may or may not already know, but wasteful water practices, in general, are prohibited by the City of Torrance Water Conservation Ordinance.

There are also permanent requirements to help neighborhoods conserve water, including:

Outdoor Water Runoff Limitations

Any irrigation or manual watering of landscaping or vegetation should be done in a way that does not cause excessive runoff.

Vehicle Washing Regulations

You are allowed to wash vehicles of any kind (motorized or not), but only with a bucket, or a hose that has a water shut-off nozzle that works well.

Hard Surface Regulations

Watering down hard surfaces is prohibited unless absolutely necessary for safety or sanitary reasons.

Hard surfaces include:

• Sidewalks
• Walkways
• Driveways
• Parking Spaces
• Patios and Decks
• Recreational Areas
• Alleys
• Tennis Courts

If a surface does require washing or watering, the same standards apply to vehicles. This includes a bucket and/or hose with a shut-off nozzle but also extends to include high-pressure cleaning machines that work at a low volume.

Single Pass Cooling System Limitations

At this time, buildings requesting new water services cannot install Single Pass Cooling Systems.

Re-Circulating System Regulations

Owners of any water feature must use a re-circulating system. Commercial businesses are prohibited from installing non-recirculating water systems.

Water Service Limitations

Any eating and drinking establishment should only serve water upon request to patrons.

Indoor Water Conservation Tips

As you monitor the conditions and any changing water shortage contingency plans, it’s a good idea to consider small steps your family can take at home to contribute. Even one mindful thing a day, such as turning the water off while you brush your teeth, can save 10 gallons of water per person, per day.

Indoor household habits that you can form to reduce your water usage are:

• Take shorter showers and fill bathtubs with less water than you normally would
• Install water-efficient showerheads, high-efficiency toilets, and aerators on faucets
• Turn the water off while shaving (same idea as brushing your teeth)
• Running the dishwasher or washing machine when full
• Fix any leaks as soon as you find them to avoid consistent drips

Not only do these tips help you save water, but you’ll also be saving money on your monthly bills. It’s a win-win!

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips

In California, watering landscapes makes up the largest amount of water usage. Does your lawn mostly consist of grass as a space filler? Certain grasses, like Hybrid Bermuda Grass and St. Augustine Grass, use less water than other kinds, like Kentucky Bluegrass. Or consider aesthetic replacements such as rock gardens or hardscapes.

Some of the other outdoor water-saving ideas include:

• Plant drought-resistant plants and trees, using recycled indoor water for them
• If you want to take on a project, replace your grass with water-friendly plants
• Use a broom instead of a hose for driveways and sidewalks
• Change your lawnmower blades to 3” to encourage deeper roots
• Hire professional landscape irrigation services to optimize your sprinklers*

*As a Neighborly® company, we are part of a network of other like-minded businesses, a community of home service brands committed to superior service results. If you are searching for a reputable team of professionals to inspect and optimize your current irrigation system and help you conserve up to 60% of your current water usage from sprinklers, check out our friends over at Conserva Irrigation®. After all, they have found that improper irrigation runoff is the cause of more than 1 billion gallons of water waste daily. Yes, daily.

Our team is here to help with comprehensive plumbing services that save water during this drought. Don’t hesitate to reach out.