ESCONDIDO: The city has declared a Level One water-shortage watch in response to California's drought.

The City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to impose the water conservation measure.

A Level One watch is the first in a four-step water conservation program, with Level Four constituting a water emergency.

The goal of Level One is to cut water use by 10 percent by making sure that residents repair water leaks, don't wash driveways with water, and don't irrigate their landscaping between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Under a Level One water watch, hotels and motels also are required to give guests the option of reusing their linens, and restaurants serve drinking water only when requested.

City officials told the council that Escondido's main water sources are drying up. The Sierra snowpack is at its thinnest, and the Colorado River is in its eighth year of drought.

In addition, a federal judge imposed severe restrictions on the pumps that move water from the San Joaquin-Sacramento delta to Southern California to protect the delta smelt.

On June 4, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought. –A.L.