Three days ago, I posted what I thought were mandatory restrictions on water use in Santa Monica, as of June 1.

Two days ago, I posted a correction and  apology, as I had got one restriction
exactly backwards.

Yesterday, Bill Bauer informed me that I had got the whole thing wrong – with a little help from L.A.’s Department of Water and Power.

I then deleted both the original article and the correction, and started all over  again, and posted the new article yesterday afternoon. Bit sometime betvween  then and now, it disappeared, It was here yesterday, and gone today. I have no idea why it vanished, or where it went. And so I am posting it again. Perhaps.

In fact, we are suffering a drought. On  June 1, DWP imposed mandatory restrictions on water use in Los Angeles, but it blanketed the entire  region with the list of its restrictions, and did not note that they   applied only to L.A. residents.

Since Santa Monica buys some of its water from DWP, I assumed the restrictions came with the water.

First rule: Never assume.

In fact, Santa Monica residents have voluntarily reduced water use by about 10 percent, and so the City has no immediate plans to impose  mandatory restrictions locally.

Not incidentally, the City’s Water  Resources staff is scheduled to deliver an advisory to the City Council  at its Tuesday night meeting.

Though the DWP’s restrictions are NOT mandatory in Santa Monica, they are sensible, and so here they are again.

• Do not use sprinklers on any days but Mondays and Thursdays.
• Do not water landscaping – including lawns – at any time between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Do not use water-using sprinklers for more than 15 minutes per watering
station, 10 minutes for other irrigation systems.
• Do not use water on any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways,
driveways or parking areas.
• Do not allow run-off into streets and gutters from excessive watering
• Do not allow leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired.
• Do not wash vehicles without using a hose with a shut-off nozzle.
• Do not serve water to customers in restaurants unless requested
• Do not water during periods of rain.
• Do not water outdoors for more than 15 minutes per watering station and 10 minutes for irrigation systems.
• Do not install single-pass cooling systems in new buildings.
• Do not install non-recirculating systems in new car wash and commercial laundry systems.
• Do not permit large landscaped areas to be watered without rain sensors that shut off irrigation systems.
• In addition,  hotel and motel guests should be given the option of reusing towels, and exemptions will be made for users of gray water.

Water-Saving Tips

Leaky faucets, plumbing joints and  sprinkler systems waste 20 gallons a day.

Sweeping driveways and sidewalks rather than hosing them down  saves 150 gallons every tine you do it.

If you shorten your shower by one oe two minutes, you can save  up to 375 gallons per month.

Call 1-800-DIAL DWP for more information.