The State of California is facing a major drought and local water agencies are being urged to put measures in place to prohibit wasteful water use. The state has authorized local agencies to fine water wasters up to $500 per day or violation until April 28, 2015 or drought conditions cease. The general manager of the Twentynine Palms Water District, Tamara Alaniz, told Z107.7 News her District will enforce conservation through existing codes, rather than new ordinances. She said water conservation is a concern even though Twentynine Palms gets all of its water through underground aquifers and is relatively untouched by the statewide drought. Alaniz said the residents of Twentynine Palms are way ahead of the state in water use at 147 gallons per person per day; the statewide average is 291 gallons per person per day. The state has identified finable infractions as: Landscape irrigation runoff; washing down sidewalks, driveways, or parking lots; washing vehicles without a shut-off nozzle; and running fountains without recirculation. Alaniz said existing local water code already includes most of those prohibitions including sprinkler use from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; drip watering is OK. She said rather than being heavy-handed, they have issued conservation reminder letters to some customers who are watering excessively. The Twentynine Palms Water District Directors will hear an item at the August 27 meeting to consider enacting Stage Two of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which details more water use limitations, in order to comply with the new regulations.
