SCV Water asks to limit outdoor water use next week

Signal File photo. Castaic Lake in January 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal
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In preparation for the annual maintenance on facilities at Castaic Lake, SCV Water officials are asking their customers to limit their outdoor water use. 

For five days, from Feb. 18 to 22, the water agency urges the community to take steps to limit their water use. 

“We are asking the community to reduce or completely eliminate any outdoor irrigation during the scheduled time,” said Kathie Martin, public information officer at SCV Water. “Just by turning off the sprinklers for a couple of days will help with our goal.”

The majority of water used in the Santa Clarita Valley is used for irrigation, according to Martin.

Next week, the SCV will rely solely on local groundwater sources and treated imported water stored in reservoirs, the SCV Water news release said. 

In preparation for the shutdown, SCV Water filled its local storage facilities to capacity. 

“SCV Water is taking the necessary steps to prepare and is asking all water users to refrain from irrigating next week to help get through the repair period without any major issues, so that all customers can continue to receive reliable water service,” the release said. 

The maintenance is being done by the California Department of Water Resources, not by the SCV Water Agency. 

DWR is replacing a 132-inch valve, which would require the valve to be completely shut off. 

“We have a pipe that comes into our distribution system and while they are doing their work we can’t get water into our pipes during that time,” said Martin. “They have to shut the force, so we will not have access to water.” 

With storage facilities filled with water, SCV will have access to more than 92 million gallons of water during the shutdown. 

The maintenance was planned to coincide with mild temperatures so outdoor irrigation is minimal for most customers, Matt Stone, SCV Water general manager, said in the release. 

“With annual maintenance, we’re maximizing the life of the infrastructure and increasing performance, all while ensuring a reliable supply and reducing future operations and maintenance costs,” Keith Abercrombie, chief operating officer for SCV Water, said in the release. 

“We scheduled the maintenance and upgrades during the winter months when temperatures are mild, days are shorter and the need for outdoor irrigation is minimal,” Stone said in the release.

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