On Tuesday July 15, the California Water Resources Control Board approved fines up to $500 for washing cars, watering lawns or hosing down sidewalks. According to ABC News:
The fines will apply only to wasteful outdoor watering, including watering landscaping to the point that runoff flows onto sidewalks, washing a vehicle without a nozzle on the hose, or hosing down sidewalks and driveways.
The board estimates the restrictions, which take effect in early August, could save enough water statewide to supply more than 3.5 million people for a year.
Cities and water districts were given wide latitude on how the fines will be implemented. The full $500-a-day fine, considered an infraction, could be reserved for repeat violators, for example. Others might receive warnings or smaller fines based on a sliding scale.
Since this was just approved last night, Los Angeles fines have not yet been set. Locals can expect LA fines to match up to the water conservation ordinances that have been in place here for some time:
Watering Days
Based on the last number of your street address, your watering days are as follows:
ODD: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
EVEN: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays
Run sprinklers 8 minutes maximum per station before 9:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. only.
LA Emergency Water Conservation Plan Ordinance
According to Los Angeles’ Emergency Water Conservation Plan Ordinance, customers cannot:
- Use water on hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways, or parking areas (with exception of water brooms)
- Irrigate landscaping between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Allow excess water from sprinklers to flood gutters
- Use water to clean, fill, or maintain decorative fountains unless the water is part of a re-circulation system
- Serve water to customers in eating establishments, unless requested
- Allow irrigation leaks to go unattended
Other Drought Information
Governor Brown declared a drought emergency for the State of California in January of this year. The LADWP has been asking/encouraging residents to look for a variety of ways to conserve water consumption. Recently, the LADWP activated the Water Conservation Response  Unit.
The Water Conservation Response Unit patrols communities across Los Angeles looking for wasteful uses of water and attempting to educate customers about the importance of practicing conservation. The goal of the unit is to remind residents and businesses to stop wasting water and to make conservation a part of daily routines.
As the Water Conservation Response Unit patrols the streets, they have available conservation information and devices such as literature, low flow shower heads, and faucet aerators. They will also respond to reports of water waste phoned in to the LADWP Customer Call Center at 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397) or emailed to [email protected].
LADWP offers many rebates and incentives to residents and business owners to help conserve water. For more information on these rebates, please visit Rebates and Programs.
Bottom line – do your part and rein in your water consumption.
