The state government has imposed new requirements on local communities to further reduce water use, with each community being given a specific target for conservation based on its per capita use of water. Lakewood was told it must reduce its community water use by 20% from 2013 levels. If communities don't reach their targets, the state will impose its own tougher water rules or fines of up to $10,000 a day on the community.

To help Lakewood reach its target, the city council on Tuesday night approved new rules that reduce and, for the first time in decades, specifically identify the days each week that Lakewood water customers can water their yards. Only two days a week of watering (for 10 minutes per day per zone of a yard) will now be allowed during the summer months of May through September. The two specific days of watering will be a household's trash day and then three days later. For example, if a resident's trash day is Friday, they can water on Friday and then on Monday. Watering is limited to the cooler hours before 8:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. to reduce water loss through evaporation. Watering days for businesses will conform to the residential trash collection day for that neighborhood, which can be found here.

The new rules for Lakewood water customers take effect immediately, but the Lakewood City Council directed city staff to engage in an extensive public education campaign to inform residents of the new rules, the reason the community needs to pull together to reach its state-mandated target, and further tips on ways to conserve. Lakewood water customers can expect to see many mailings, email notices, utility bill inserts, and newspaper articles in the weeks ahead. More