SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Residents in drought-stricken California have been under mandatory water restrictions with a threat of $500 fines since last July. But the state isn’t tracking enforcement of water rules.
The Associated Press queried more than dozen water agencies and found wide disparities in how cities crack down on water waste. Highlights of their efforts compared to the State Water Resources Control Board’s calculations of the agencies’ average drops in monthly water use since regulations were imposed.
EAST BAY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
Population: 1,330,000
Enforcement period: Since January 2014
Fines issued: 0
Home visits: 307
Calls and emails to customers: 1,117
Water waste complaints: 2,447
Average monthly water savings: 14%
SAN DIEGO
Population: 1,292,496
Enforcement period: Since August 2014
Fines issued: 0
Home visits: 329
Warning letters sent: 1,775
Water waste complaints received: 4,093
Average monthly water savings: 3.6%
SAN JOSE WATER COMPANY
Population: 946,494
Enforcement period: Since April 2014
Referrals to code enforcement: 0
Water waste investigations: 1,100
Average monthly water savings: 13.5%
SAN FRANCISCO
Population: 846,601
Enforcement period: Since July 2014
Fines issued: 0
Home visits: 25
Phone calls: 125
Warning letters sent: 354
Average monthly water savings: 8.3%
SACRAMENTO
Population: 466,488
Enforcement period: Since January 2014
$1,000 fines: 1
$200 fines: 33
$50 fines: 374
Warning letters sent: 6,347
Complaints and Patrols: 20,445
Average monthly water savings: 18%
COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Population: 202,660
Enforcement period: Since July 2014
Fines issued: 0
Warning letters sent: 0
Water waste investigations: 304
Average monthly water savings: 4.4%
CUCAMONGA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT
Population: 199,225
Enforcement period: Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 2014
Fines issued: 0
Warning letters sent: 24
Conservation door hangers left: 97
Average monthly waver savings: 4.3%
SANTA MARIA
Population: 101,103
Enforcement period: 2014
Fines issued: 0
Warning letters sent: 0
Complaints investigated: 20
Average monthly water savings: 4.5%
SANTA CRUZ
Population: 94,887
Enforcement period: May 1 to Dec 15, 2014
Total amount of fines: $1.6 million
Fines waived for water school attendees: $421,000
Fines waived for leak fixes: $343,000
Average monthly water savings: 24%
DUBLIN-SAN RAMON WATER SERVICE DISTRICT
Population: 77,644
Enforcement period: June 17 to Dec. 11, 2014
Service shut off: 1
$250 first violation fines: 125
$500 second violation fines: 11
$1,000 third violation fines: 3
Warning letters sent: 1,109
Average monthly water savings: 28.5%
LODI
Population: 62,930
Enforcement period: Since July 2014
$35 fines: 5
Warning letters and violation notices sent: 980
Average monthly waver savings: 3.75%
APPLE VALLEY RANCHOS WATER COMPANY
Population: 62,602
Enforcement period: Since November 2014
Referrals to code enforcement: 0
Water waste complaints: 20
Free water audits: 61
Average monthly water savings: 1.77%
SAN DIEGUITO WATER DISTRICT
Population: 36,959
Enforcement period: Since July 2014
Fines issued: 0
Warning letters sent: 11
Neighborhood water waste notices: 49
Courtesy notices: 56
Average monthly water savings: 3%
Please read our comment policy before commenting.