Water Conservation

Conserving Water Together:

What California’s New Regulation Means for Our Community 

The State of California now requires all Urban Retail Water Suppliers—including TDPUD—to meet specific water conservation targets. This isn’t something TDPUD created. It’s a statewide regulation designed to ensure California communities are prepared for a drier future.

For TDPUD customers, the residential target is 47 gallons per person per day for indoor use, plus reductions in outdoor irrigation. For TDPUD, there are new water loss reduction targets for leaks in the water distribution system. The clock starts Jan. 1, 2027. 

We’re in this together: Compliance is measured for the Truckee community as a whole, not household by household. No individual monitoring, no individual fines. If we meet the target together, everyone benefits. 

Indoor Water Use

47 Gallons a Day — What Does That Actually Look Like?

47 gallons per person per day sounds like a lot — and for most of us, it is. Most Truckee households are already close to this target indoors thanks to modern fixtures and appliances. Here’s a quick look at where indoor water goes:

  • Toilet: ~24 gallons/day (largest indoor use for most households)
  • Shower (5 min): ~10 gallons | Shower (10 min): ~20 gallons
  • Front-load washing machine: ~13 gallons per load
  • Top-load washing machine: ~23–40 gallons per load
  • Dishwasher: ~3–5 gallons per cycle (more efficient than hand washing)
  • Faucet (running): ~2 gallons per minute

Simple action tips:

  • Pay attention every time you use water. Are you only using the water you need?
  • Fix dripping faucets and running toilets — a leaky toilet can waste 200+ gallons a day
  • Switch to a front-load washer when it’s time to replace
  • Take shorter showers
  • Sign up for water leak alerts — unusual spikes often signal a hidden leak

Outdoor Conservation

The Biggest Opportunity Is Outside.

Outdoor irrigation is where most Truckee households can make the biggest difference. TDPUD water customers us over three times the water in the summer than in the winter. Lawns and traditional landscaping use far more water than necessary — and much of it evaporates before it ever reaches plant roots.

The good news: there are beautiful, low-maintenance alternatives that thrive in our climate and dramatically reduce water use. Visit TDPUD’s conservation garden and webpage for detailed information.

  • Traditional turf lawn: ~55 gallons per square foot per year
  • Drought-tolerant landscaping: ~10–15 gallons per square foot per year

Five low-water landscaping principles:

  • Choose drought-tolerant, climate-appropriate plants
  • Reduce or eliminate turf in favor of groundcover, gravel, or native plants
  • Use efficient drip irrigation instead of sprinklers
  • Water in the early morning to reduce evaporation
  •  Mulch around plants to retain moisture

Rebate programs: TDPUD is developing rebates to help customers achieve reduction in their water usage, both indoors and outdoors. Stay tuned to our rebates webpage for more information on these programs when they launch in Summer 2026.

TDPUD's Role

We’re Doing Our Part. Here’s How.

Meeting the state’s conservation target is a community effort — and TDPUD is leading by example. While we’re asking customers to reduce water use, we’re investing heavily in our own systems to find and fix water leaks  before it ever reaches your tap.

What TDPUD is doing:

  • Leak detection and repair: Proactively finding and fixing leaks in the distribution system
  • Advanced meter technology: Real-time monitoring helps identify unusual usage — and alerts customers to potential leaks at home
  • Infrastructure upgrades: Ongoing investment in pipes, valves, and system improvements to reduce water loss
  • Conservation rebate programs: Financial incentives to help customers make water-efficient upgrades
  • Working closely with regulators to educate them on the essential water needs of our community to ensure that the regulation does not hurt our customers.

The sustainability benefits:

 Delivering water takes energy. When our community uses less water, we also reduce energy consumption — and our collective carbon footprint. Water conservation is a climate win.

______________________________________________________________

Click here to read the Making Conservation a California Way of Life Fact Sheet, created by the State Water Resources Control Board.

Visit the State Water Resources Control Board's website for more information on this regulation.