Palm Desert's Water District to Lift Drought Penalties

The Coachella Valley Water District lifted drought penalties to its customers Tuesday in response to a recent state conservation mandate that takes local water supply into account when assessing penalties to water agencies.

Effective June 1, nearly one year after the district began implementing drought penalties, it will halt penalties that included more than $10,000 per day in potential fines imposed on water wasters.

The drought penalties went into effect last July and were increased in December after the State Water Resources Control Board issued a $61,000 fine to the district for failing to meet the state's 36 percent conservation mandate.

However, conservation targets were adjusted this month following a new emergency conservation regulation issued by Gov. Jerry Brown's office, which allowed for different drought standards based on each agency's specific circumstances, a move lauded by the district and other desert water agencies.

General Manager Jim Barrett called the new regulation a "common-sense approach" that is both "achievable and effective."

The district will now try to reach a goal of 20 percent reduction by 2020.

"We expect everyone to continue to be mindful of their water use and understand that water-smart behavior is now part of being a Californian," Barrett said.

"Even without the state mandate, conservation has always been an important tool in the long-term plan to eliminate overdraft of the Coachella Valley's aquifer."

Restrictions that will continue to apply include no irrigation during or within 48 hours after measurable rainfall, broken sprinklers must be repaired within 24 hours of notification, no washing cars without a shut-off nozzle, and no water runoff.

The district will continue enforcing these water-use regulations and report those enforcement efforts to the state each month. However, it is unclear how severe those enforcement efforts will be with the drought penalties lifted.

"Eliminating overdraft of the aquifer is the most critical goal for our community and if we can do that with a variety of programs and projects that don't require 36 percent or 32 percent conservation, then we should have the flexibility to do that," Barrett said.

According to the district, customers showed improvement in 2016 after low water reduction numbers through December.

"We know customers have learned to use water more wisely and some have taken permanent steps to reduce water use," said Barrett. "I expect that customers will maintain a 20 percent reduction, even with no mandatory reduction in place."

On June 14, the district's Board of Directors will vote on proposed rate increases and changes to the water budget structure. The stricter water budget would "promote permanent, long-term reduced water use," according to a district official.

— By City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.