Gov. Brown proposes raising water wasting fines to $10,000

California Gov. Jerry Brown announced legislation on Tuesday, April 28 that would increase water wasting fines and authorize local government agencies to levy such penalties.

In a meeting with 14 California mayors, Brown said wholesale and retail water agencies, as well as city and county governments, would be allowed to issue penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, up from the current maximum daily fine of $500.

The bills were announced after the meeting, which was held in the Capitol.

“These measures will strengthen the ability of local officials to build new water projects and ensure that water is not wasted,” Brown said in a statement. “As this drought stretches on, we’ll continue to do whatever is necessary to help communities save more water.”

Felicia Marcus, chair of the state water board, said higher penalties would only be levied in “egregious” cases. Similarly, Brown said steep fines should be a last resort that would apply to “only the worst offenders” that regularly violate water rules.

Thus far, officials have issued fines sparingly to encourage conservation, and most agencies have said they would prefer to educate customers rather than penalize them.

Revenue from fines collected would be used toward local conservation efforts.

The governor has been pushing conservation measures, including a mandatory 25 percent statewide cut in water use, a plan that is expected to be approved in early May. Officials say, however, the plan could undergo some fine-tuning beforehand to ease cuts for Los Angeles and San Diego and boost targets in areas that use the most water.

The proposed regulations have been criticized as unfair, but Brown has repeatedly defended them, Los Angeles Times reported.

“We think they’re reasonable,” he said. “We think they’re enforceable.”

Other measures imposed by the state water board to save water include strict limits on outdoor irrigation. The agency has also barred the hosing down of outdoor surfaces, car washing without an automatic shut-off nozzle and decorative water fountains that do not recirculate water.

Further conservation regulations also now require bars and restaurants to serve water only upon request, and hotels must ask guests who stay multiple nights if they would like their linens and towels washed.

After the meeting on Tuesday, Brown said there is much that needs to be done.

“We’ve done a lot. We have a long way to go,” he said. “So maybe you want to think of this as just another installment on a long enterprise to live with a changing climate and with a drought of uncertain duration.”

The state is also looking into slashing water consumption at big landscape locations, such as cemeteries, campuses and gold courses.

Separately, the governor made a second proposal to streamline environmental reviews for certain water supply projects, such as recycling facilities.

State officials worry that the California drought, which is now in its fourth year, may continue for up to a decade.

(With reports from KCRA 3, Los Angeles Times, Reuters and The Santa Clarita Valley Signal) 

(www.asianjournal.com)
(OCIE May 1-7, 2015 Sec. A pg.1)