Wasted water could affect pocketbooks

A water ordinance that went into effect this week for La Cañada residents could mean the installation of water restricter devices and heavy fines for home owners — and that’s even if it is their gardeners or employees who are over watering or not following the water conservation rules.

Each of the seven areas that buy water from Foothill Water District and ultimately Metropolitan Water District, are under an Orange Alert and being told to restrict water use. The various districts have selected their own manner of dealing with those restrictions, some specifying which days of the week residents can water and others simply asking customers to cut back.

For La Cañada Irrigation District customers, after an initial violation notification, there is a fine — not to exceed $100 — for a second violation, with a third-violation fine not to exceed $250. Should a fourth-notification be required, there would be a fine up to $1,000.

In addition to fines, and the installation by the district of a flow-restriction device, the district may disconnect a customer’s water service for willful violations of the mandatory restrictions, according to a pamphlet distributed by the district.

Doug Caister, general manager of La Cañada Irrigation District, previously told the Valley Sun that his district is limiting watering days, based on odd and even addresses. And, although the district isn’t trying to fine customers to make more money, if additional water is used, the district will have to pay more from its suppliers for that additional water.

“It’s hitting us pretty hard,” Caister said, of the penalties that will be assessed by Metropolitan Water District, and subsequently passed down by Foothill Water District.

“There will be less water, and any over the allotment will cost three to four times as much,” he added.

Crescenta Valley Water District (CVWD), which services La Cañada’s “Sagebrush” area, is telling its customers to restrict outside landscaping and other watering to Tuesday and Saturday before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., said Christy Scott, program specialist for CVWD.

CVWD also has hired water conservation interns who will drive around and take notes and pictures of landscaping being watered during the wrong days or hours or other over-use issues.

CVWD will then notify homeowners of the problem and, if the problem persists, monitoring methods will be implemented.