ANAHEIM, CA (March 21, 2007) - Anaheim Public Utilities is asking residents and businesses to help maximize existing water supplies by reducing outdoor watering for one week (from 12 a.m., Sunday, March 25, through 11:59 p.m., Saturday, March 31) while a major construction project takes place to improve the performance and reliability at a regional water treatment facility in Yorba Linda.

The Diemer Filtration Plant, owned and operated by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), will undergo a series of operational upgrades and improvements from March 25-31. During the month of March, the Diemer facility typically provides about 25 percent of the water needs within the Anaheim service area.

“We have prepared for months to ensure our customers experience minimal disruption during the shutdown,” said Marcie Edwards, general manager for Anaheim Public Utilities. “For example, residents and businesses can help us maximize water supplies on hand during the shutdown by reducing their indoor and outdoor water use.”

Even with this year’s lower-than-average rainfall, landscaping experts confirm that outdoor irrigation systems may be safely turned off for one to two weeks in mid to late March, with few, if any, adverse effects.

Landscape irrigation typically consumes nearly half of all water used in Orange County, making the outdoor water-savings potential enormous. Cutting back on irrigation also helps reduce urban runoff – excess water that flows directly to the ocean. MWD routinely schedules shutdowns of its facilities during the winter months, when temperatures are typically cooler and demands are lower, to minimize impacts on consumers.

For more information, visit www.anaheim.net and click on Public Utilities. Then go to Diemer Plant Shutdown under “The Latest.”