LOS ANGELES — California regulators have imposed
The regulations come in response to a drought that has also brought months of record-breaking high temperatures, increasing concerns about California's ability to maintain storage reserves for 2015 and beyond.
State lawmakers have been wrestling with proposals to issue bonds to finance some solutions to California's water shortage problems. The state is in its third year of drought.
The state legislature recessed for July without making a decision on whether to put any of the bond measures on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The State Water Resources Control Board's decision Tuesday to ask localities to implement mandatory fines of $500 a day on a statewide basis is unprecedented. They would go into effect on Aug. 1.
"We are facing the worst drought impact that we or our grandparents have ever seen," State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus said in a statement. "And, more important, we have no idea when it will end.
The regulations target urban outdoor water use, such as sidewalk washing and lawn watering.
"The least that urban Californians can do is to not waste water on outdoor uses," Marcus said. "It is in their self-interest to conserve more, now, to avoid far more harsh restrictions, if the drought lasts into the future."
Local water districts were, however, given discretion on the fines. Warnings are more likely and the fines could be set at lower amounts for first-time offenders.
Under the emergency drought rules, some urban residents and businesses might have to limit lawn watering to just twice a week.
San Diego County Water Authority officials said they have already taken steps to alleviate the effect of the drought, but also asked the regional water authority's board of directors to activate the next stage of the region's drought response plan next week and declare a Level 2 Drought Alert calling for mandatory water conservation measures to prevent water waste. The SDCWA board will consider its response at its next meeting on July 24.
"Regional investments and a demonstrated commitment to conservation have buffered San Diego County from the worst effects of the drought so far, but we believe the right thing to do now is to move to mandatory water conservation measures," Maureen Stapleton, SDCWA's general manager, said in a prepared statement.
The SDCWA declared a Level 1 drought watch on Feb. 13. That level outlines voluntary practices to increase water conservation. Level 2 makes Level 1 mandatory, and it adds outdoor watering restrictions such as limiting landscape irrigation to no more than three days per week. From November through May, landscape irrigation is limited to once a week.
The restrictions also impact commercial uses. Restaurants are required to only offer water to patrons upon request and fountains and water features that do not use recycled water must be turned off.
