This is just one post in the Conservation Category

DWP to weigh Los Angeles fines, water use rules today

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 4, 2008 at 6:17 am

The DWP commissioners began considering this issue yesterday, as reported in the LA Times that they would be, but voted to continue the matter until later on this afternoon. From the Daily Breeze:

June Melody was already hot and irritated from keeping the air conditioning off in her home to combat a soaring power bill. So the Los Angeles resident was really ticked off to learn she could soon be ticketed $100 for watering her lawn during the daytime - as she was doing Tuesday.

That’s because the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is considering strict new water conservation rules governing everything from lawn watering to car washing. Break the rules and Angelenos could face fines up to $300 for repeat offenders.

“Do you really want me to get started, all the prices on my water and power, all the prices on my gas, I’m tired of paying for it. And they’re going to bother me about my water?” Melody said. “They ought to straighten up their act first. It’s really disgusting.”

The Board of Water and Power commissioners began considering the new rules Tuesday but the volunteer commissioners had too many questions about how the fines would be implemented and postponed a decision to a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. today. “I personally would like to be well aware of what kind of fine I may get if I’m watering my lawn on the wrong day or happen to use the water hose improperly,” Commissioner Forescee Hogan-Rowles said.

Los Angeles already has conservation rules on the books, such as a prohibition on hosing down sidewalks, but they haven’t been enforced since a drought in the early 1990s. But Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and DWP General Manager H. David Nahai said water is again in short supply, and it’s time to crack down on water wasters.

“We don’t believe that any of this is onerous,” Nahai said. “Its thrust is to prohibit wasteful uses of water and many of the uses that it prohibits are in fact abuses - and they really fall into the realm of common sense.”

What, exactly, are the rules that DWP is considering?

The new water conservation rules would:

Ban hosing down sidewalks, driveways and other paved surfaces.

Prohibit watering lawns during the day, and make it illegal to over-irrigate and let water run into the street.

Bar restaurants from serving water unless requested by the customer.

Ban washing cars unless the hose has a nozzle or other shut-off device.

Limit irrigation to no more than 15 minutes a day.

Prohibit any fountain, pond or water feature that does not recirculate water.

Require hotels to give guests the option of not having towels and linens washed daily.

Fines for residential customers:

1st offense: Warning.

2nd offense: $100.

3rd offense: $200.

4th offense: $300.

5th offense: DWP may install a device that restricts the flow of water.

If city leaders declare a water emergency, Angelenos would be prohibited from:

Irrigating on most days of the week.

Washing their cars.

Filling their pools.