State officials for the first time are fining California water suppliers for failing to meet a mandated 25 percent reduction in water use in the state’s battle against widespread drought. These savings met California’s goal, set by water boards and Governor Jerry Brown, of cutting back on water usage by 25% of that used in 2013.
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“Up and down the state, residents and water suppliers are making the necessary sacrifices needed to help California meet its conservation goals”, said Cris Carrigan, director of the California Water Boards’ enforcement office.
Most water districts in San Diego County met their state-mandated conservation targets last month, according to figures released Friday by the State Water Resources Control Board.
Mission Springs Water District, which serves Desert Hot Springs, is even further from its conservation goal than the Coachella Valley Water District.
Under the drought regulations, water districts that violate a conservation or information order can be fined up to $500 per day. The board also admits keeping up this type of conservation will be hard as state residents start to prepare for the El Nino.
The $61,000 fines are being imposed on these four cities though as a whole the rest of the state of California has cut down water consumption by more than 25 percent every month since last June.
Almost 7,000 Newport Beach homeowners are failing to meet their own benchmarks; a few of them are as much as 200 percent over their targets, he said.
Fines are due in 50 days.
“We’re in a tough pickle on this”, Marcus said.
“If they were taking it seriously, they would have water police – or water officials, they could make it sound nicer – going around really getting people to cut back on how much water they’re using”, said 18-year-old Gianmarco Denis, a Santa Monica College student and Beverly Hills resident, to the Los Angeles Times.
The four water agencies have 20 days to appeal the fines.
It’s unclear how Beverly Hills will pay the $61,000 fine.
Hemet’s water department was one of eight in the state that received conservation orders from the water board this summer for being more than 15 percent off target. “This is important and wonderful, and we are thankful for all of the effort by individuals and agencies”.
Additionally, Californians are being asked to conserve amid reports of a strong El Niño, which forecasters say likely will produce more rain than normal for much of the state this year.
The announcement of fines comes as Brown declared a state of emergency Friday to address a massive tree die-off exacerbated by four years of drought.
According to the Sacramento Regional Water Authority, the regions water agencies saved 27 percent on average in September. The water board’s goal, he said, is to send a message that failing to conserve has consequences.
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“Indio is one of the fastest growing cities in California, and we are committed to continuing outreach to our customers as well as implementing programs to reduce water usage”, City Manager Dan Martinez said in a statement. “We need rain and snow especially in Northern California”.
