Thread: L.A. limits water sprinkling to 2 days a week

L.A. limits water sprinkling to 2 days a week

5:00 AM | June 1, 2009

A final warning to all you lawn aficionados and green thumbs: Los Angeles' mandatory water conservation restrictions — aimed at reducing the city's water use by 15% — begin today.

That means residents can use their sprinklers only on Mondays and Thursdays, and customers who don't cut their water use could face higher utility bills.

Details on the shortage rate are a bit complex. To determine how to avoid higher rates, customers can call the DWP at (800) DIAL-DWP or log into their account at the DWP website to determine their water allotment. The agency has posted all the details here.

And if your neighbor catches you using those sprinklers — on, say, Tuesday — you might hear from the drought police. The DWP is seeking reports of water waste at (800) DIAL-DWP or via e-mail at waterconservationteam@ladwp.com.

— Maeve Reston

Photo: Steve Osman / Los Angeles Times

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... today.html

New water use rules for San Diego
(3 Days a week)

By Jerry Sanders
2:00 a.m. May 31, 2009

Online: A complete list of the new rules at sandiego.gov/water.

To help preserve San Diego's limited supply of water, new restrictions kick in tomorrow that will require all of us to rethink the way we use water in our lives.

All of us – residents, businesses and government agencies alike – will now be following certain schedules for watering our yards and washing our vehicles. We will limit our outdoor watering to certain hours of the day and certain days of the week. We will also be paying closer attention to the length of time we water, limiting ourselves to just 10 minutes per irrigation station.

And, yes, violating these restrictions will carry the potential for citations and fines, though the city will focus on education and changing behaviors, not punitive measures.

These new restrictions were put in place by the City Council and me because of real cuts to our water supplies. Our water wholesaler will be trimming what it provides the city, and we need to match our consumption to meet the new supply targets. Missing these targets will lead to surcharges and steeply increased water costs we simply cannot afford.

The city is working hard to spread the word about the new restrictions. Reminders are going out in the water bills mailed to our customers. And, the Water Department has begun a public awareness campaign to remind everyone that there is “no time to waste and no water to wasteâ€

It's not a water shortage, it's a people surplus!!!