Fort Bragg Downgrades Water Emergency as New Desalination Unit and Recent Rains Increase Avaliablity

Last Night, the City Council passed a Resolution to move from a Stage 4 Water Crisis to a Stage 2 Water Warning. The transition is the result of increased water supply from the City’s desalinization unit, increased flows in the Noyo River and the City’s ability to restore Summers Lane Reservoir to full capacity. The City hosted a small informal ribbon cutting on Friday, October 8th and allowed members of the public to see the Desalination-Reverse Osmosis Treatment System up close and operational. During high tide cycles, the desalinization unit can provide as much as 25% of the City’s daily water supply needs. The start of fall also brought some rain, lower temperatures and changes in the water needs of trees and vegetation, resulting in increased water flows in the Noyo River. This has allowed the City to divert water from Waterfall Gulch to restore the Summers Lane Reservoir to capacity.

Mandatory Stage 2 Water restrictions include all of the following:

1. Wasteful use of water is prohibited. All water usage must be for beneficial uses.
2. During any water use, water shall stay confined to the customer’s property and is not
   allowed to run off onto adjoining property, public sidewalks, streets or parking lots. Water
   use should not exceed the point of saturation.
3. Landscape irrigation is limited to two days per week and is only allowed on Tuesdays and
   Saturdays from 12am to 9am and 6pm to 11:59pm. Drip irrigation is allowed on any day
   of the week.
4. Washing of streets, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, buildings and other hardscape
   surfaces is prohibited, except with an approved exemption form.
5. All pools, spas and ornamental fountains shall be equipped with a recirculating pump and
   shall be leak proof.
6. Restaurants shall serve water only upon specific request.
7. Hotels and lodging establishments shall not provide patrons with stays of three days or
   less daily laundering of towels, sheets and linens. Lodges must prominently display notice
   of this requirement in each room.
8. All water leaks must be repaired as soon as feasible but no later than three days after
   notification.

Questions and concerns about the Stage 2 Water Warning can be directed to
waterconservation@fortbragg.com or by calling the Department of Public Works at (707) 961-
2823, Ext. 131. Additional information and water conservation guidance is available on the
City’s Water Conservation webpage.