Water Conservation

Using Water Wisely:

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.

The good news? 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. However, failure to meet the goal may result in financial penalties for TDPUD, which could translate to water rate increases in the future.

TDPUD customers will need to consider how to can reduce both their indoor and outdoor water usage. California's indoor use target is 47 gallons per person per day, and big reductions in outdoor irrigation will need to happen to achieve the target. TDPUD is also doing its part by fixing pipeline leaks and installing monitoring technologies to reduce water loss in its water distribution system.

The image shows a water container and states that each person uses 47 gallons of water per day.

The image features the date "Jan. 1, 2027," accompanied by an orange-colored graphic element.

Indoor Water Use

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

The image shows water usage statistics for toilets, faucets, showers, and washing machines, highlighting daily and per-use consumption.

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
Sign up for water leak alerts — unusual spikes often signal a hidden leak

The image promotes "Indoor Rebates" and features a wallet with cash, highlighting "NEW!" twice.

Visit our rebates webpage for more information on these programs.

The image shows a water meter displaying numeric readings and technical specifications, attached to piping.

Outdoor Conservation

The Biggest Opportunity Is Outside.

Outdoor irrigation is where most Truckee households can make the biggest difference. TDPUD water customers us more than 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. Changes started this fall will carry into winter and contribute to 2027 water-use targets. 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

The image presents "Five Low-Water Landscaping Principles," illustrated with decorative plants and text.

The image promotes outdoor rebates, featuring a $150 credit on monthly bills from the Truckee Donner Public Utility District.

Visit our rebates webpage for more information on these programs.

The image shows a sign for the Patricia S. Sutton Conservation Garden, highlighting water conservation and garden features.

Attend TDPUD's Garden Party!

TDPUD is hosting a free community garden party on Saturday, Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the TDPUD Conservation Garden (11570 Donner Pass Rd. in Truckee). The open-house event will feature educational talks from TDPUD staff, drought-tolerant landscaping demonstrations, and information on rebate programs available to customers. Local stewardship partners and landscaping and nursery businesses will also be on hand to share their expertise. Light refreshments will be provided.

Join the TDPUDA Garden Party on August 29, 11am-2pm, for tips on low-water gardening, rebates, and local landscape support!

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.

Leak Detection & 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 pipe replacements, valve maintenance, 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.