Riverside to Cut Back on Sprinklers

Riverside Public Utilities is asking its water customers to turn off any sprinkler systems they don’t need this weekend in anticipation of the storm that is expected to sweep through the region.

The National Weather Service is predicting possible showers starting tonight and lasting through Sunday, according to a statement by the utilities department.

All California water users are required to turn off outside irrigation systems during measurable rainfall and for at least 48 hours after the storm passes, according to the state’s emergency water conservation standards.

Currently, Riverside residents are only allowed to water two days per week, and only between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. under the city’s winter water conservation mandates.

Riverside has always gotten cooperation from residents when it has asked them to cut back on their water use, said Heather Raymond, customer communications manager for the utilities department.

“People in Riverside have always been 100 percent cooperative when it comes to water conservation,” Raymond said. “We’ve always been lucky that we have residents who help us meet our conservation goals.”

For more information on the drought and how best to conserve water visit BlueRiverside.com.