La Verne ups the ante on water conservation - ContraCostaTimes.com

LA VERNE - The City Council voted to enact mandatory water rationing at its Monday night meeting.The "phase III" plan calls for penalties beginning Aug. 1 for those who don't reduce water use by 10percent.The city was at "phase I," which called for voluntary cuts in water use. "Phase II" was skipped to show residents the seriousness of water shortages, said Mayor Don Kendrick.

"I think it is important to raise the bar of urgency," he said. "To let people know we are not in a non-emergency situation."The penalties for multifamily units, commercial and industrial buildings will be $2.61 per each 1,000 gallons beyond the allotted amount.For residential homes, the penalties get more serious as more water is used. Penalties range from 18 cents per 1,000 gallons to $2.61 per 1,000 gallons, administrative superintendent Jeanette Vagnozzi said.Allotments are based on individual month averages from 2004, 2005 and 2006, city officials said.

Kendrick said the increased urgency is not a sign that the voluntary "phase I" plan was failing.Residents voluntarily had cut water use by about 13 percent, officials said."We want more people to participate," Kendrick said. "More than likely, the residents of La Verne will go much beyond the 10 percent."Fliers and informational packets will be distributed to residents via water bills. City officials also plan to host community meetings.Alongwith the cuts, a few new rules also will kick in.

They include: fixing plumbing issues within 48 hours, no water runoff, using hoses with a valve turnoff while washing cars, no sidewalk spraying, and no use of decorative fountains unless the water is recycled, Vagnozzi said.

via contracostatimes.com