Drought Information

Current Drought Status

None: No water shortage has been declared in Redwood City

Check current drought conditions in the U.S. Drought Monitor for California.

Water Supply Information

Redwood City's sole source of drinking water is purchased from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and about 85% of that supply comes from the Tuolumne River through the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

Current reservoir levels in the San Francisco Regional Water System (SFRWS) are available through the SFPUC's Storage and Delivery Updates web page by accessing the We Deliver Report or the Regional Water System Data Viewer. 

Prohibited Water Uses

At all times to prevent the waste and unreasonable use of water and to promote water conservation, each of the following actions is prohibited.

• The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures.
• The use of a hose that dispenses potable water to wash a motor vehicle, except where the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle or device attached to it that causes it to cease dispensing water immediately when not in use.
• The application of potable water to driveways and sidewalks.
• The use of potable water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system.
• The application of potable water to outdoor landscapes during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall.
•  The irrigation with potable water of ornamental turf on public street medians.
• The irrigation with potable water of landscapes outside of newly constructed homes and buildings in a manner inconsistent with regulations or other requirements established by the California Building Standards Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Use of potable water through broken or defective plumbing and irrigation systems.
• Use of potable water in single-pass cooling systems.

Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Redwood City adopted a Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) on June 14, 2021. The WSCP has been developed to serve as a flexible framework of planned response measures to mitigate future water supply shortages based on the following guiding principles. 

• Water cutbacks will focus on outdoor water use. Outdoor water use is an important, but relatively discretionary end use in comparison to indoor water uses related to drinking, cooking, and sanitary activities. Outdoor water use supplied with recycled water, however, may not need to be cut back as ample supplies of recycled water are likely to be available even during a drought.

• Water cutbacks are to be based on water needs, not historical water use, whenever possible. Customers knowing water shortage allocations are based on historic water use may tend to overuse water during non-drought periods so as to provide them with a greater allocation during a shortage. Expressed in a different way, customers implementing water conservation activities (demand hardened) should not be penalized by receiving the same percentage cutback as non-conserving customers.

Practically, these principles guides the City to ask for a need-based, shared contribution from all of its customers towards meeting water use reduction goals during periods of water shortage through the City’s Water Allocation Program. It further directs the City to focus its water conservation efforts on reducing discretionary water uses such as outdoor water use, while attempting to preserve uses that are essential to health and safety such as drinking, cooking, and sanitary activities. The WSCP focuses on potable water uses because there are ample supplies of recycled water available even during a drought.

The table below shows how water will be allocated for each stage of a declared water shortage. In addition there are prohibitions on water use activities for each water shortage stage detailed in the WSCP. 

GPCD = Gallons Per Capita per Day or Gallons per Person per Day (Applies only to permanent members of the household.)

For ideas on how to save water take a look at our water saving tips and conservation programs.