Redway Water Shutoff Planned Wednesday Morning, Conservation Measures Declared

[Stock image by Nicole-Koehler via Wikimedia Commons]

According to Redway Community Services District General Manager Cody Cox, service will be disrupted beginning at 9 a.m. and could last between 15 and 45 minutes. Water is expected to be fully restored throughout town by 9:45 a.m.

The project is part of the Small Community Drought Relief Grant through the California Department of Water Resources. Cox said the district has a narrow construction window, with a sunset date of June 2026, making it necessary to move forward now.

In addition to tomorrow’s shutoff, the RCSD announced a Stage 2 Water Conservation as of today, September 2, after flows in the South Fork Eel River dropped to 20 cubic feet per second. Under district rules, flows below 20 CFS trigger conservation measures.

The following are mandatory measures under Conservation Stage Two according to the RCSD website:

1) Landscape watering is allowed only between the hours of 6pm .and 10:00am.;
2) Restrict outdoor water usage to an ‘Odd Even’ water conservation plan. Under this plan odd
numbered homes are asked to restrict their outside water usage to Wednesday and Sunday.
Even numbered homes are asked to water outdoors only on Tuesday and Saturday;
Businesses are asked to water on Monday and Thursday. Water each area only for 10
minutes.
3) Refrain from allowing water to run off any lawns, landscape, or garden into adjoining streets,
gutters, sidewalks, parking lot or alley;
4) Refrain from hosing or washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots or other hard
surfaced areas;
5) Refrain from washing cars, boats, trailers, or other vehicles except at commercial car wash
where water is recycled;
6) Equip any hose with a quick acting shut-off nozzle;
7) Promptly repair all leaks in plumbing fixtures, water lines, and sprinkler systems;
8) Equip ornamental fountains, ponds or lakes with a water recycling system;
9) Nurseries must use basins under watered inventory to catch excess water;
10) Hotels and motels shall provide a notice of water emergency in each room.
11) Restaurants shall refrain from serving drinking water except upon specific request by a
customer;
12) Industrial accounts shall be limited to water usage of 2500 cubic feet per month;

Cox noted the fragility of the river at such low flows. “The water is too warm, and there is quite a bit of algae growth,” he explained, adding that while toxic blooms haven’t been spotted in the district’s stretch of river, residents should be cautious and keep animals out of the water.