The Technical Review Team of Department of Water and Power Retains Water Conservation Policies; Big Bear Lake and Fawnskin in Stage I, Lake Williams in More Stringent Stage II

Big Bear Lake, CA — The Technical Review Team for the Department of Water and Power met this morning (April 12) and, as General Manager Joel Dickson explains, “The big purpose of this meeting is that, every six months, we evaluate whether we can lift our Stage I water shortage emergency.” DWP’s service area, which includes all of Big Bear Lake, as well as other portions of the Big Bear Valley, including Sugarloaf, Fawnskin and Lake Williams, has been in conservation mode since 2005 and, given today’s review of water supply, Dickson tells KBHR, “We felt that it was not appropriate to lift the restrictions at this time. Lake Williams is still in Stage II, which is one step more severe than the rest of the system, which is in Stage I.” So, for those DWP customers, both residents and second-home owners, within Big Bear Lake, Sugarloaf and Fawnskin, Stage I conservation measures are in effect for the spring and summer seasons. A key component of Stage I measures is that water users are required to comply with outdoor watering on the odd/even schedule, as it corresponds to the street address. On odd days, those whose street number ends in an odd number may do outdoor watering, though before 9am or after 6pm. Those whose street address ends in an even number, such as 4, may water on even dates, such as the 4th—but, again, either before 9am or after 6pm. During conservation efforts, DWP does not allow for the washing down of sidewalks, driveways and buildings, or the hosing down of vehicles. Under Stage I, however, homeowners can add new turf for a total of up to 500 square feet of lawn and via permit available at the DWP offices on Garstin Drive. For those DWP customers within the Lake Williams area, Stage II conservation measures remain in place; Stage II requirements include those in Stage I, including the odd/even watering schedule, though no new turf is allowed in Lake Williams at this time as Stage II is more stringent in terms of water use. Though conservation efforts are retained for, now, a fifth year, Dickson adds, “The Technical Review Team talked a lot about finding new water supplies. We are in the process of looking for sufficient water supply and, once found, we can lift the Stage I and Stage II measures.”