SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - The state of California has eased up on water restrictions in one local district.
Conservation targets for the Vallecitos Water District in San Marcos have been reduced from 24-percent to 16-percent.
The district serves 97,000 people in cities including San Marcos, Escondido, Vista, Carlsbad and surrounding unincorporated areas.
Customers can now:
-Power wash their homes
-Deep water trees
-Transition lawns to drought-tolerant landscapes
-Water fire-safe buffers around their homes, especially those at the top of slopes or near canyons.
Christopher Robbins, water conservation supervisor for the Vallecitos Water District says the state had directed the agency to have a 24-percent reduction in our water consumption, but now that it is connected to the desalination water plant in Carlsbad, it is getting an eight-percent reduction from the 24-percent, allowing residents to now conserve 16-percent.
"Things are improving, and we don't want to completely go back to our old habits, but things are looking up in the world of water," Robbins said.
Residents in Lakeview Mobile Estates in San Marcos are relieved they can relax on the restrictions.
Conserving every way he could, resident Ed Ingle worked hard to save water.
"We cut back a little bit and the grass isn't as green as it could be, but maybe now we'll be able to water a little bit more and get it as green as we can," Ingle said.
Lloyd Rochambeau, President of the Lakeview Homeowners Association says a power wash could increase the sale of mobile homes in their community.
"I'm happy because my coach is getting pretty dirty and it needs to be washed, so this is good," Rochambeau said.
Although the easing of the water restrictions are just in place for the Vallecitos Water District, other parts of San Diego County could also see some relief as the state continues to evaluate its conservation targets.