KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Local water officials approved new restrictions and an updated watering schedule for the Santa Clarita Water Division in their effort to reach the governor’s water conservation mandates due to the state’s drought.
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SCWD officials announced the move to a two-day watering schedule, updated fines and restrictions Wednesday as part of Ordinance 43, officials said.
The new watering schedule for the SCWD residents and businesses goes from three days per week to two days per week, with odd addresses watering on Monday and Thursday, and even addresses watering on Tuesday and Friday.
If residents of businesses violate the new restrictions and watering schedule, a fine system is in place. A violator written notice response at first, followed by a notice of non-compliance and fine of $50 per violation for the second violation, according to the news release.
Residents and businesses in the SCWD have new restrictions including, according to a news release sent out by the SCWD:
- Irrigating outdoor lawns, turfs and landscapes in a manner that causes runoff such that water flows onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, parking lots, and or/structures.
- The application of potable water to driveways, sidewalks, and other hardscape.
- Failure to repair a leak within 24 hours of detection or notification.
- Irrigating outdoor lawns, turf, or vegetated area of landscape during and within 48 hours following measurable precipitation.
- The use of a hose to wash a motor vehicle without an automatic shut-off nozzle.
- Non-recirculating fountains and decorative features.
- Irrigating outdoor lawns, turf, landscape or other vegetated area during the hours of 9:00 to 5:00 p.m.
- Irrigating outdoor lawns, turf, landscape, or other vegetated area using a landscape irrigation system for more than 10 minutes per station per day.
The third violation includes a notice of non-compliance, fine of $100 per violation the SCWD may install a flow restrictor at the customer’s expense, according to the news release. Subsequent violations will increase the fine by $100 per day up to a maximum of $500 per day with the SCWD shutting off water service for “willful violations.”
“The State Water Resources Control Board enacted mandatory water conservation (in May) for all the water retailers across the state including the Valencia, Santa Clarita and Newhall retailers,” said Dirk Marks, CLWA water resources manager. “Santa Clarita Water Division has to conserve 32 percent compared to 2013.”
The SCWD is not the only water retailer in the Santa Clarita Valley to be mandated to conserve more, the Newhall County Water District is required to save 28 percent while the Valencia Water Company is required to save 24 percent.
Between 2013 and June 2014- February 2015 totals, the Castaic Lake Water Agency and Santa Clarita Water Division reduced water usage by 12 percent, the Valencia Water Company reduced water usage by 13 percent and the Newhall County Water District reduced water usage by 11 percent, according to the state’s Water Resources Control Board.
“The individual water retailers could pay a fine of up to $10,000 if they do not reach their conservation mandate by February 2016,” said CLWA General Manager Dan Masnada. “That would be recovered from ratepayers. We want to avoid that. Paying for a service is one thing but paying penalties, it’s like a speeding ticket and no one wants to pay a speeding ticket.”
For now, the SCWD, which is owned by the CLWA, is the only water retailer to adopt the new ordinance.
The Los Angeles County Public Works Waterworks Districts 36 and 37 which represent Val Verde and Acton adopted a similar plan to the ordinance June 8, according to their website. They must must limit lawn watering, landscape or other turf area with water supplied by the District to any two days per week maximum.
The NCWD officials hope that by working more directly with their consumers and providing education, they can avoid further reducing the number of water days and implementing updated fines, said B.J. Atkins, director of the NCWD.
“The NCWD (Thursday) made the decision to stay at three days per week, our customer base is doing quite well at conserving already,” Atkins said, adding that they are working with an “education process as opposed to regulations.”
The VWC officials have not made their decision of whether to adopt the ordinance, create their own plan or stick with the current watering schedule and regulations.
“Our board hasn’t made that decision official, yet. We will be looking at that next week,” said Keith Abercrombie, VWC general manager. “I will be requesting and recommending to change for lawn watering from three days to two days. Our plan will have some of the similar items in it (as Ordinance 43), including all of the latest round of requirements by the governor and the state.”
“We’re all in this together,” said Mauricio Guardado, chair of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Committee and retail manager for the SCWD. “Water conservation is not something that’s voluntary anymore. I really encourage people to understand what this means — if everybody does their part, we can keep rates where they are, nobody gets penalization and we conserve our precious resource.”
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.
Is this the same Water Company that told the City Council at the meeting we had plenty of water? I am not sure anyone will take them seriously, they keep saying we have plenty of water in Kern County, yet place further restrictions on us. Seems like they are talking out both sides of their mouth. When they limit everyone, and are serious about conserving, the residents will follow, until them pffft.
What about hand watering?
What I don’t understand is current homeowners are being restricted but continuous building of homes, condos, etc. are being built in Santa Clarita. I understand the city wants revenue from the building, but we want our homes to look nice inside and out and you put restrictions on homeowners to where we cannot keep our yards looking decent, but its OK to bring more housing into our valley to consume more water.
And the City Council keep allowing more high density housing to be built in our city. First they changed the City General Plan to allow more housing and will not stop growth until we have doubled our population. Seem to be in the pockets of the builders. All except TimBen Boydston. TimBen fought against the One Valley One Vision General Plan that allowed for more building and remapped our city for more high density housing. We need to vote out the old timers on our City Council ASAP.
Wait a minute…we have plenty of water to keep building condos and apartments, but those who live here already need to cut back further and pay punitive fines? Something does not add up. Time for a new City Council.
I agree! Speak up, City Council! Why can we build more when we supposedly don’t have water for existing homes? Answer please! Inquiring minds want to know!
Regulation time!!! Let’s see how far we can push them.
Time to let our lawns & plants die, folks. ‘Cuz 2 days a week watering schedule is not enough to effectively keep everything alive when you live in an area where it gets 110 degrees in the summer.
There are thousands of new homes being constructed in several new developments, the giant one off the 5 and 126 being the most recently approved– by the SAME people who are telling us there isn’t enough water for those of us already living here.
Why is no news organization doing an expose’ on THAT?
How many millions of gallons of “new” water will be required to support those new families every month?
Something is REALLY wrong here. This drought is created by nature but driven by corrupt and clueless politicians. A bright light needs to be shined on them for all to see.
There’s your Putlitzer, Jessica Boyer.
The rest of this is old news.
Regarding the water conservation….THERE IS A NEW HOUSING/CONDO/APARTMENT/YMCA PROJECT GOING IN WITH THE EXTENSION OF GOLDEN VALLEY…WHERE IS THAT WATER COMING FROM?
THE HOMEOWNERS????
Something is terribly wrong with this. If we supposedly don’t have enough water to use 3 days a week to keep our cherished garden plants alive during summers of over 100 degrees (at least that’s the spin this week), then they should put a hold on any new construction in Santa Clarita until we get the next big rain. My household is cut way back on water use since the last drought of over 5 years ago. My lawn is turning brown. And I see that median strip grass is dying too. Bravo! But why are long-time homeowners (50 years here) being punished by forcing us to now kill off our rare collectible plants for lack of water while golf courses, parks, and schools are being kept green?
I rent at Monterra ridge apts and they water where obvious leakage problem because its all mush and sprinklers water the walkways or carports not grass areas. Sprinklers even run when it rains! Maybe these are the areas where focus is needed and most definitely and obviously water is being wasted without a care!
I have been asking city council for 10 years , “why are you planting more bushes and trees in the medians?” Marsh our mayor would state, “I don’t want our city to look like the dessert.” THATS WHERE WE LIVE!!!!!!!! Blame ignorant city council and city planners who allowed our most precious resource to be drastically reduced over the last 10 years!!!
MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA!!!
So if I’m caught watering on an off day I will be fined although I haven’t used my allotted amount for the week? I’m not understanding why what day you water matters? If you are allowed 10 minutes per station 2x a week (total of 20 minutes per week per station) then I, as the person attending my landscaping, should be able to decide if I want to divide the time up and water some of my vegetation 4x a week for only 5 minutes on that station. Trying to water the full 10 minutes at one time so as to sustain through to the next allowed watering day only creates runoff and waste. On another note, I too am in agreement with statements made above. What is going on in Santa Clarita? They keep announcing what new developments have been approved with excitement. Get a clue Santa Clarita officials! We are not excited about more buildings, more cars, more people, more traffic. We are not excited about living in a city that HAS become like L.A. and the San Fernando Valley. We don’t need more shops and restaurants. I know you think “we are creating jobs” which is admirable but on the other hand stimulate the companies and small businesses that are here and that have been loyal to SCV for years. Let’s work on keeping SCV small (or smaller since it’s already out of control) and not forget why we moved here in the first place.