California imposing mandatory water restrictions

California is telling residents to stop wasting water or face fines of $500 a day after a new report showed usage during the state's ongoing drought has risen 1 percent since last year.

California water officials approved a temporary drought-related regulation which will allow local law enforcement and water agencies to impose the fines. Adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board at a meeting in Sacramento July 15, the new regulation establishes minimum standards for outdoor water use in urban areas.

Under the new statewide rules, any agency that does not impose mandatory conservation measures could be subject to state fines of up to $10,000 a day.

The Desert Water Agency announced it will enforce the mandatory state measures and its own conservation rules, including limits on washing cars, watering lawns and golf courses, and serving water at restaurants.California is telling residents to stop wasting water or face fines of $500 a day after a new report showed usage during the state's ongoing drought has risen 1 percent since last year.

Katie Ruark, a Desert Water Agency spokeswoman, said the agency fully supports the state water board's actions and is ready to launch its own drought regulations. The Palm Springs-based water district would make water cutbacks mandatory starting Aug. 1.

Desert Water Agency services customers in Palm Springs, Cathedral City and surrounding areas. The agency's mandatory measures are:

• Washing hard surfaces like driveways, parking lots and building exteriors is prohibited at all times.

• Golf courses, parks and schools can water only between sunset and sunrise.

• Lawn watering and landscape irrigation is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

• Running water for car washes is prohibited. Buckets are allowed and nozzles allowed only for rinsing.

• Restaurants can only provide water upon request.

• Commercial nurseries can only water between midnight and 6 a.m.

DWA would fine violators following a written notice for a first offense. A second violation would lead to a fine equal to 25 percent of the customer's previous water bill. A third offense would lead to a fine equal to 50 percent of the previous bill.

Click here to read more on the new drought regulations.

Nursery Management focused on water in its June issue. Here are several feature articles related to the water crisis.

To learn how one California nursery created and implemented a conservation program, click here.

To find out if rainwater harvesting could be used as a water conservation option at your nursery, click here.

And if you're concerned about about water quality issues in recycled irrigation water, click here.