Goleta Water District customers now face fines of up to $500 and risk getting their water service shut off if they don’t comply with mandatory restrictions now in effect.
The district put automated calls out to thousands of customers in recent days informing them of the new rules for water use. The district has declared a Stage II Water Emergency and is mandating a 25 percent cut in water use districtwide.
Residents are not allowed to run their sprinklers or fixed irrigation systems between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. They are also prohibited from hand watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Residential customers are only allowed to water on Wednesdays and Saturdays while commercial customers can only water on Tuesdays and Fridays.
In addition, water customers are prohibited from using landscape irrigation that causes runoff to streets and gutters, watering down driveways or sidewalks, washing automobiles without a shut-off nozzle, and using potable water in fountains and decorative water features that don’t recirculate the water.
Outdoor water use makes up 70 percent of total water use, according to the Goleta Water District.
The district is requesting that people report water use violations. Members of the public who witness unauthorized use of water are encouraged to contact the district at 805.964.6761 with the date, time and address of the incident. The district is also encouraging witnesses to take photographs of the offenders.
Initial offenses will receive a written warning. A notice of violation will be sent after a second violation. A third offense will result in a $100 fine, up to $500 for multiple offenses.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
