Oak Park CA Water Restrictions

 
California's ongoing drought, as well as court decisions to restrict water flow due to endangered fish are forcing
conservation  measures.  As a result, businesses and residents of Oak Park, Ca must reduce their water use by 15% between now and June 30, 2010.  The consequences for not doing so will be fines and higher monthly bills.  (So fish are more important than the local economy? Must be another blog post in there somewhere!)

Janna Orkney, chair of the Triunfo Sanitation district, which owns Oak Park Water Service said, "After one year, if Oak Park Water does not have any reduction in use from the base years (2004-2006) we will be fined over $1 million.  If we only reduce 10 per cent, the fine will be almost $650,000."   Any fines will likely be passed on to us, the ratepayers.

  The water agency is developing an ordinance that would allow the district to enforce stages of  mandatory water  rationing in case of emergency, and to fine violators.  Stage one would require a  25% reduction in water use,   stage 2 a 35% reduction, and stage 3 a 50% reduction.  My teenage  sons are going to have to figure out how to take shorter showers, that is for sure!

The following restrictions are now in place:

• No landscape watering between 8 AM and 5 PM daily, unless using a hand held bucket or hose with self closing shut off device.  (How does someone water the lawn with a bucket?)
• Irrigation must run for no more than 15 minutes/day per station, with certain exceptions.
• No watering during rain or after 24 hours of measurable rain
• Water runoff that flows into the street, sidewalk, etc. is prohibited.
• Washing down hard or paved surfaces is prohibited, except when necessary to reduce safety or sanitary hazards, with restrictions
• Customer leaks must be fixed within five days of discovery.  (How will this one be enforced??)
• Water fountains or decorative water features that do no use recirculating water are prohibited.
• Washing the car, or other vehicle is prohibited, except with a hand held bucket or hose with self closing or shut off device.
• Restaurant may only provide drinking water upon request.

Our hopes, of course, are for a wet winter, to ease our drought.  But  conservation of water and all our resources should be ongoing.  We only have one earth!

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