Conserve water Humboldt

On June 11th, Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD), along with its four municipal customers
classified as urban water suppliers, received confirmation from the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) that their request to be placed in a lower conservation tier had been granted. Prior to this ruling, local
water suppliers had been placed in tiers requiring as much as a 28 percent reduction in total water production.
The City of Eureka, as well as HBMWD, the City of Arcata, and Humboldt and McKinleyville Community Services
Districts, are now required to reduce water production by 4 percent for each month as compared to the same
month in 2013.
Criteria for granting the request including showing that the source of supply does not include water imported
from outside the hydrologic region in which the water supplier is located, and that the system has a minimum of
four years’ reserved supply available. In approving the request, the SWRCB acknowledged the unique
characteristics of our region’s water system and the security of the supply present at Ruth Lake.
Review of total water production data from 2013 and 2015 shows that City of Eureka customers have been
diligently monitoring and reducing their water usage in light of the state’s serious drought:
Total Water Production (millions of gallons)
Month 2013 2015 Reduction
January 92.3 73.9 20%
February 76.6 67.0 13%
March 79.9 76.2 5%
April 82.2 78.5 5%
May 99.5 88.4 11%
Average 11%
The City of Eureka would like to remind residents and local businesses that despite this favorable ruling and the
excellent job customers have done in reducing their water consumption, conservation measures already in place
are still in effect and will continue to be enforced in an effort to continue meeting the 4 percent conservation
requirement. For more information, customers are encouraged to call the Public Works Department at 707-441-4203.

Rules for homes and businesses:
• Watering is only allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends. No watering landscapes or
grass on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays.
• No using potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways
• No runoff when irrigating with potable water
• Do not use hoses without shutoff nozzles to wash cars
• Do not use potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water
• Cannot use outdoor irrigation during and 48 hours following measurable precipitation
• Restaurants and other food service establishments can only serve water to customers on request
• Hotels and motels must provide guests with the option of not having towels and linens laundered