■ Agency authorizes $500 fine for offenses including runoff onto adjacent properties
Solano County’s water providers have a new set of emergency regulations to follow after the State Water Resources Control Board last month approved action to increase water conservation not only by the providers, but also by their customers, Andy Florendo, Solano County Water Agency senior water resource specialist, said.
The new regulations, approved July 15, became effective Tuesday after the Office of Administrative Law endorsed them.
The regulations identify four prohibited water uses and give water providers the option of fining offenders up to $500 for each violation, Florendo said.
The regulations specifically address the use of potable (suitable for drinking) water, and forbid its use for outdoor watering that leads to runoff onto adjacent property, including sidewalks and streets, and washing vehicles with a hose that doesn’t have an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Instead, Solano County officials are urging vehicle owners to use commercial car washes that recycle their wash water, he said.
In addition, the new regulations forbid using potable water for washing driveways and sidewalks except to address immediate health and safety hazards or in compliance with a state or federal permit. They also forbid operating a fountain or decorative water feature that doesn’t have a recirculating system.
In addition to forbidding the water-wasting actions, the regulations also require water providers to move from voluntary to mandatory restrictions when it comes to outdoor water use, Florendo said.
“The regulations serve as a stark reminder that water supply conditions are at serious levels,” he said. “California is experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades, and everyone needs to do their part to conserve water.”
He noted that Benicia is among the water providers that have instituted mandatory outdoor watering restrictions.
The city’s new restrictions comply with the new state regulations, he said.
Benicians are limited to the hours and days they may water their outdoor landscaping. In steps started on an emergency basis in June and then extended through an ordinance amendment, Benicians can only water their yards from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. to reduce water loss through evaporation.
In addition, those with odd-number addresses may water only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and those with even-number addresses may water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No one may water Sundays.
The restrictions are in place through Oct. 15. Starting Oct. 16 and continuing through March 31, 2015, all residential and commercial customers may water only on Saturdays and Sundays.
Exceptions are made to those who have installed a low-volume system, such as drip irrigation, nor does it affect those using a hand-held bucket or those who need to turn on the water to adjust, repair or check an irrigation system.
From April 1 to Oct. 15, maintenance-level watering is allowed for turf at private schools, day care centers, sports fields, playing fields and other well-used recreation areas in public parks, school campuses and child care centers, and under certain conditions new landscaping may be watered four times a week throughout the first year of planting so vegetation may get established.
In past Benicia has counted on the State Water Project for 85 percent of its water. But early this year the SWP announced that its contractors would get no water, even though contractors pay in advance for their allotments.
The SWP has amended this to give contractors 5 percent of their allotment starting in September. For Benicia, that’s 860 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount it takes to cover an acre with a foot of water.
City operations, residents and most of the city’s commercial and industrial customers use about 10,000 acre-feet of water annually, and while Benicia contracts each year for 17,000 acre-feet from SWP, it has yet to receive its full allotments
The City Council has authorized spending up to $900,000 for up to 6,000 acre-feet of water to add to the 5,000 acre-feet it has in carryover storage, and has called for a voluntary 20-percent reduction in consumption.
Residents and companies managed to reduce consumption by 10 percent before the mandatory restrictions were put in place.
In addition, the Council is considering a water surcharge to cover additional costs caused by the drought.
If the surcharge is approved, those who continue to conserve would see a small increase in their water bill; those who ignore the call to save would see larger increases.
Property owners will be notified about the proposed surcharge, and must file a protest if they object to the new costs. In addition, the Council will welcome comments Sept. 16 during a public hearing on the matter.
A lack of response would be considered tacit approval under provisions of California Proposition 218, which regulates parcel-related revenue issues.
Florendo said other water providers are considering how to quickly comply with the call for mandatory restrictions.
He said Vallejo is moving toward limiting landscape watering to three days a week. That city, as well as Dixon, Fairfield, Suisun and Vacaville, will address the drought during August city council meetings.
Solano County Water Agency (SCWA) and several area cities are stepping up their outreach efforts so members of the public will be aware of the new watering restrictions and hear conservation tips.
“SCWA, for example, will be adding a new Web page focused on drought,” Florendo said.
He added that Benicia and Vallejo have formed “water patrols,” staff members who watch for water-wasting activities. Vacaville is putting a new “water waste hotline” in place and using bill inserts and advertising to promote water use reduction.
Water providers are letting local agencies handle enforcement of the new regulations, and county officials expect that instead of rushing to fine violators, the local agencies will consider it an opportunity to educate residents and company owners about the need to reduce consumption.
“Only violators who don’t respond to gentler tactics receive fines,” Florendo said.
He released a compilation of questions and answers, that indicated Benicia, Fairfield, Suisun, Vacaville and Vallejo reduced consumption between 10 and 21 percent from February through June, compared to use in that span in 2013.
“This is in stark contrast to the rest of California, which is falling far short of meeting the governor’s call for a 20-percent cut in water,” he said.
An early survey suggested the rest of the state reduced its consumption by only 5 percent after Gov. Jerry Brown asked for voluntary conservation, but a more recent state document discovered that water use actually increased marginally.
“Water providers are committed to helping their customers conserve water, and many offer free programs and rebates to help residents reduce water use,” Florendo said.
Those interested may visit Benicia’s Community Sustainability Commission Web page, www.sustainablebenicia.org, and the city’s water conservation page on the Benicia website, www.ci.benicia.ca.us, under the “Water Conservation” tab on the left side of the screen. They also may visit SolanoSavesWater.org for advisories from the Solano County Water Agency.
Those who see violators are being asked to call Solano County Water Agency’s hotline, 707-455-4077; or, if the violation is occurring in this city, Benicia City Hall, 707-746-4200.
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