The city council discussed Lindsay’s water conservation plan at their meeting on Tuesday, May 23. Given all the rainfall the valley has received in 2023, the council decided it might be time to loosen the restriction on water conservation in Lindsay. These restrictions will allow for residents two watering days a week.

This week the city council voted to move back to phase 3 from phase 4 of the water conservation plan. Phase 3 allows residents two watering days a week between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. Even numbered street addresses will be able to water on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Odd numbered street addresses will have watering days on Wednesdays and Sundays. The plan to advertise the adjustments to the watering schedule soon.

“We were pretty strict [with violations] last year. Now we’re still going to enforce it, but we don’t need to be as heavy-handed in our approach, which is good,”  Lindsay city manager Joe Tanner said.

This time last year the council voted to restrict water usage due to the years of drought and lack of available water. Lindsay has a five-phase water conservation plan in place to assure that all residents have access to drinking water year-round. The city entered into phase 4 which is the emergency water conservation plan for Lindsay.

Like much of the Central Valley, Lindsay was in a precarious spot in terms of water. In February of 2022, the city submitted a request for a health & safety water allocation to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in order to meet the summer’s water demands. In addition to the emergency water allocation they also instituted phase 4 of their conservation ordinance. Phase 4 restricted residents to watering their lawns, gardens, pools and carwashes one day a week.