A reader wondered why the Del Webb at Woodbridge water fountains are still operating. The short answer is because they re-circulate water.

The current state directives handed down to deal with the continuing drought targeted only water features that do not use re-circulated water.

As such water features outside the movie theater at The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley, the entrance feature to Del Webb, the Del Webb lake that features a fountain as well, plus the water falls that are part of the faux bridge entry to the Woodward West neighborhood on South Main Street are not covered from Governor Brown’s executive order. The governor did, however mandate that any fountains that use drinking water and don’t re-circulate the water must be turned off. The city did just that with the interactive water play feature at Library Park in the spring of 2014.

City Manager Karen McLaughlin noted the Woodward West water feature is lined as well. It has been off for the past week or so so not because of the drought but due to a part needing replacement. The water feature is part of a landscape maintenance district where watering of grass has been reduced 25 percent to comply with directives put in place by the Manteca City Council.

Manteca under the latest state mandate must cut water use to 32 percent below 2013 levels.