Fill swimming pool? Not with Yorba Linda water!

Here's how the residential swimming pool situation stands in Yorba Linda: The city will continue to issue permits – and collect city-fixed fees – for new pool construction, but the water district won't allow new pools or outdoor spas to be filled with district-supplied water.

The same rules apply for residential pools and spas that are drained for repairs. The water district's Stage 3 conservation regulations don't allow refilling more than one foot of water, a rule that will be backed by enforcement and a schedule of fines.

Some companies can drain and store water from pools and spas undergoing refurbishment and return the water after repairs are completed. Owners can top off with up to one foot using the district's water.

But filling new pools is verboten, which can lead to unfortunate consequences for residents who acquire permits. A recent city staff report noted that “filling newly constructed pools immediately after plastering is necessary to ensure proper curing and prevent cracking.”

That's why staff suggested to City Council members a “temporary suspension” of permits for new or remodeled swimming pools or spas was warranted, but the council didn't adopt either of two draft moratorium ordinances submitted for consideration earlier this month.

Instead, council members proposed staff apprise pool permit seekers of the water district's regulations, with one member suggesting addresses of those granted permits be given the district. In 2014, 140 permits were issued for about $113,000 in revenue.

Of course, pools could still be filled with water from sources other than the Yorba Linda Water District, which is facing a state-mandated 36 percent cutback in water usage, since some other suppliers have lesser cutback requirements.

Other conservation news:

--As mentioned in a past column, officials are concerned about maintaining overall park conditions, especially high-use athletic fields. A three-year turf renovation program was suspended and alternative maintenance methods researched to extend turf life.

--The city will seek a water district waiver to allow park watering on two weekday nights, instead of either Friday or Saturday nights, to avoid wet parks for Saturday and Sunday morning activities.

--The city will add a new condition for projects that follows a state directive requiring drip or microspray systems to irrigate outside new homes and buildings.

--The two-day-per-week watering mandate is “not anticipated to significantly affect” compliance with a city zoning code provision requiring residents to maintain private landscaping in a “reasonable, healthy growing manner.”

--According to a 2009 water district ordinance, if the district moves from a Stage 3 to Stage 4 emergency, “no new water service will be provided and no new temporary meters or permanent meters will be provided, except as is necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare.”