Residents who were affected by the ongoing Sand Fire in the Sand Canyon and Fair Oaks Ranch area will not face penalties for water use during cleanup of their homes, officials confirmed Tuesday.
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With countless driveways, backyards and other outdoor areas of homes coated in ash and soot as a result of the Sand Fire, residents who were afraid to pick up their hoses can do so freely now that drought restrictions have been lifted.
“There aren’t penalties now,” said Keith Abercrombie, retail manager for the Santa Clarita Water Division, which serves the areas of Canyon Country and West Newhall affected by the fire. “Water waste is still not allowed, but beyond that, customers should be able to use water for whatever purposes they need.”
While the Sand Fire got close to a number of Santa Clarita Water Division’s facilities, Abercrombie confirmed that the agency’s systems are currently functioning properly, with no significant damage reported Tuesday.
Residents who may be concerned about potential rate hike increases affecting the cost of the cleanup of their homes can be reassured that none are currently being implemented by the Santa Clarita Water Division, according to Abercrombie.
Related: Sand Fire Resource List For Evacuees – #SandFire
If the current proposal — which is expected to reach the agency’s board in the next few months — is approved, rate changes would not be in effect until January 1, 2017, he said, giving residents plenty of time to complete cleanup of their homes in the wake of the Sand Fire.
Congressman Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, told KHTS AM-1220 Tuesday that staff from his office were making calls to various water agencies in an effort to get estimates for the cost of water use during cleanup.
While no figures were available as of Tuesday morning, Knight advised the public to begin their cleanup efforts as soon as possible.
“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” he said. “You’ve got to clean it up a little bit, or you’re going to just keep tracking that stuff into the house.”
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