LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday night the Lakeport City Council unanimously approved a resolution instituting a stage one water emergency that includes requirements to conserve water.
During the public hearing on the item, City Attorney David Ruderman presented the resolution to the council, as Public Works Director Mark Brannigan was not at the meeting.
Ruderman gave the council an outline of actions taken by the state earlier this year in response to the drought, including a January gubernatorial drought emergency declaration and an April executive order in which Gov. Jerry Brown directed the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt emergency water conservation regulations.
Last month, the State Water Resources Control Board instituted a number of regulations that Ruderman said everyone must observe.
Those include no outdoor irrigation causing runoff onto pavement or nonirrigated land, no washing cars with hoses not equipped with shut-off nozzles, preventing use of potable water to driveways or sidewalks, and no use of potable water in decorative fountains unless they are circulating.
There also are additional requirements for urban and nonurban water suppliers, with Lakeport among the latter.
The difference between the two kinds of water suppliers is the amount of detail in their conservation plans and that smaller water suppliers don't have to report to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding implementation.
In Lakeport's case, Ruderman said the city has to enforce a limitation on irrigation ornamental landscapes with potable water to two days per week or implementing implement water conservation measures to achieve similar reductions when compared to last year.
Ruderman said the city has a water rationing procedure in its code.
He said that Brannigan wanted the council to understand that the city has a water supply – including its groundwater table – equal to what it had at this time last year.
“But we don't know what this fall is going to bring and he (Brannigan) thinks that it's prudent for us to look ahead and try to do what we can now” in order to avoid having to implement mandated restrictions in the future, Ruderman said.
He also noted that the State Water Resources Control Board can impose a $10,000 per-day fine on water suppliers that don't follow its mandates.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina wanted clarification about outdoor water uses, asking if a tomato garden was not considered ornamental.
Ruderman said that gardens for food are exempt and that landscaping with a function – such as a soccer field – may be watered.
“It's time to get on board,” said Councilman Tom Engstrom.
Ruderman said the water emergency won't be in effect until it's published as a legal in the local newspaper.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said the city will notify water customers of the restrictions in mailings going out in the next billing cycle as well as online.
Mayor Kenny Parlet asked if the city's budget would be impacted if all city water users cut back significantly.
City Finance Director Dan Buffalo said no, that the city's rate structure allows for water rationing without a big impact to the bottom line.
The only public comment offered on the matter was from Scotts Valley resident Thomas Nickel, who wanted to know if the city might set up a water hot line to report waste issues.
Nickel said he sees a lot of waste in landscaping due to lack of monitoring, using the wrong sprinkler heads and not using drip irrigation.
Council members said they didn't want the issue of water use to become heated between neighbors, or for people to get in trouble for trying to keep up their lawns.
Silveira said neighbors will be doing each other favors by letting them know if water is running at night or if sprinklers are broken.
She said the goal is to reach out to people who keep having water issues, and to urge neighbors to talk to one another.
Engstrom moved to adopt the resolution, with the council voting 5-0.
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