California cities could face $10k a day water wasting fees

Reducing California’s water use by 25 percent is now the mandate from Governor Jerry Brown. We’re hearing cities that don’t meet the new standard could face fines of $10,000 a day.

Water department officials here Santa Cruz said local water agencies will get targets for cutting water use based on how well they’ve done so far.

Eileen Cross from the Santa Cruz Water Department said though other cities may be worried about how they can cut their water use to meet the mandate, Santa Cruz customers have been conserving 20 percent to 25 percent for years. So, they’re not worried about the governor’s order.

“I say if you’re a city that’s not complying, I feel bad for you because those are some pretty hefty penalties,” Cross said.

Cross said Santa Cruz is in good shape with conservation. The water department is already talking about imposing stricter water regulations here, which is something the city council is set to take up next week.

As for the statewide water-saving mandate, the State Water Board will release a draft of regulations mid-April and those regulations will likely be approved in May.