by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

This week Claremont residents received more good news about the easing of last year’s drought restrictions when Golden State Water Company announced that ratepayers could now water outdoor landscaping three days per week.

Following three of the driest years on record, California received massive rainfall this season across the state, including 35.5 inches in Claremont. As a result, the California Department of Water Resources signaled it would deliver 100% of water supplies requested by service providers like Golden State.

Last spring, facing dwindling supplies, the Department of Water Resources allocated just 5% of water requested by these same agencies, resulting in the strict one-day-per-week outdoor watering restrictions in Claremont.

 Sixty percent of Claremont’s water is pumped from local aquifers, with the balance imported from Northern California via the State Water Project’s series of reservoirs and canals. Water allocations for 26 local agencies, including our own Three Valleys Municipal Water District are managed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

“This year has seen a remarkable turnaround in the state’s water supply. After three years of the lowest State Water Project deliveries in history, we’re now seeing the first 100% allocation since 2006. It is now incumbent upon us to take full advantage of this extraordinary turn of events. But it is also another powerful reminder of the climate whiplash that will define our water management needs for the next century,” Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California said in a statement.

Because future supplies remain uncertain, Golden State encourages its customers to continue to conserve water wherever they can, including fixing leaky pipes and replacing water thirsty grass with drought tolerant plantings.

It’s not all smooth sailing, however, because water resources in reservoirs along the Colorado River continue to be very low due to general drought conditions throughout the west. Even though Claremont does not get a significant amount of water from the Colorado, MWD has indicated it would still impose restrictions across its service area if those supplies are cut further.

“We would like to extend a special thanks to our customers who have reduced their water consumption and those committed to promoting water conservation as a way of life for the future,” Golden State Water Company officials said in a news release.