California drought: San Jose moving to impose water conservation measures, but without fines

SAN JOSE -- Complying with new state rules aimed at cutting water use during California's historic drought, the San Jose City Council is poised to declare a citywide water shortage, ask all residents to cut use by 20 percent and place new limits on watering lawns and landscaping.

But like many other large Bay Area urban communities, the city does not plan to hire "water cops" or issue fines for people who ignore the rules -- at least not for now.

"We are working to make sure the rules are enforced and our community does what is required," said Kerrie Romanow, director of the San Jose's Environmental Services Department. "At this point we don't feel that needs to include monetary fines."

If the City Council approves the new rules at its Aug. 26 meeting, as expected, it will be illegal to water any lawns or landscaping in San Jose every day between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. All private property, along with government property such as schools and parks, is affected.

Residents using recycled wastewater for irrigation, such as large businesses and parks, would be exempt, however. So would people watering yards and plants with buckets filled with water collected from their showers.

San Jose's roughly 1 million residents also would be prohibited from watering landscaping so much that water runs into the street, sidewalks or neighboring property. And they would be banned from washing down sidewalks and driveways, washing cars without shut-off nozzles on their hoses, or operating decorative fountains unless they have recirculating water.

The rules would take effect immediately for all city residents, regardless of who provides their water, and continue until April 25, 2015.

Historic drought

California is laboring under its worst drought since at least 1976-77, and by some accounts in a century. The state is in its third year of below-normal rainfall, with creeks drying up, major reservoirs at half full or less, water tables falling and wildfire danger at extreme highs.

San Jose's proposed rules come one month after the state Water Resources Control Board ordered every water provider in the state with more than 3,000 customers to place mandatory rules to limit water wasting and limit landscape watering, allowing fines of up to $500 for violators.

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California drought: San Jose moving to impose water conservation measures, but without fines