Planting flowers in downtown Modesto draws withering criticism

Friday was the first day under Modesto’s stage 2 drought restrictions, which further limit the days and hours for outdoor watering and raise the fine to as much as $500 for violating the rules.

But residents don’t have to worry about getting fined just yet. The city is launching a public information campaign – with newspaper, TV and radio ads, mailers to water customers, and information in utility bills – to spread the word about the restrictions. The city will start looking for violators in earnest in a couple of weeks.

Still, that does not mean the restrictions aren’t raising concerns. One business owner questioned why the Modesto Garden Club was planting and watering flowers downtown Friday, a day in which no outdoor watering is allowed. The club works with the Downtown Improvement District on the beautification project, and the city provides the water. The project consists of 247 large pots provided by the DID. The pots also have shrubs in them.

“The city should have to endure the same restrictions that we do,” said the business owner, who asked that her name not be used. “This is not the time to be planting. It just bothered me to see all these flowering plants that need water. ... I just think the timing was horrible, not on the day we go to the biggest restrictions and more restrictions are coming.”

The garden club members sprinkled the plants with water they brought themselves in used plastic jugs. The stage 2 restrictions ban outdoor watering on Fridays. Club members are expected to finish planting Saturday.

Garden Club President Dan Yockey acknowledged the watering oversight, but added the club is sensitive to the drought. “The garden club fully recognizes that we are in a drought and what has happened,” he said. “We are scrambling to preserve the things that have taken years to put out.”

He said club members are planting drought-tolerant flowers and a city water truck will water them once a week – down from twice a week last year – and will use non-drinkable water. California has mandated a 25 percent reduction in drinkable water for cities and towns compared with 2013 levels.

The garden club has stopped watering its backyard lawn at its downtown office and will put mulch in the front yard instead of the flower garden it plants each spring. Yockey said the club is experimenting in three of the pots with succulents that will be watered once every two weeks.

He said the club has worked with the Downtown Improvement District since the late 1990s on the beautification project. The club plants flowers in fall and spring. The fall plants are not watered. He said if the drought continues into next spring, the club will not plant flowers.

Modesto Utilities Director Larry Parlin said he understands business owners’ concerns and encourages the public to ask questions, but said in this instance, the project falls outside of the restrictions because of the non-drinkable water. He said even if drinkable water were used, that is allowed under the stage 2 restrictions, which allow outdoor watering two days a week.

DID officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

The business owner said she could understand using non-drinkable water for trees, but not for flowers, and added that residents don’t have the option of using non-drinkable water on their yards. She said Modesto can beat the drought only if the public believes everyone – including the city – is doing the right thing. “We are all in this together,” she said.

Modesto officials have talked about using non-drinkable water on city trees and reducing the city’s water use. But the city may face more questions if it has to resort to further water restrictions.

While Gov. Jerry Brown has mandated a 25 percent reduction in urban water use statewide, the State Water Resources Control Board has proposed a tiered approach to achieve that, with larger reductions for cities that use more water. The reductions are for drinkable – or potable – water. The water board proposes Modesto reduce its water use by 36 percent.

The water board is expected to adopt its proposal next week, with it taking effect in June.

Parlin said Modesto may have to go to its stage 3 drought restrictions as soon as July if it has to reduce water consumption by 36 percent. Those restrictions ban outdoor water except for the hand watering of trees, bushes and plants. Drip irrigation is allowed. Parlin said he will have a better idea of whether Modesto needs further restrictions after reviewing how much water it saves this month and in June.

This story was originally published May 1, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Planting flowers in downtown Modesto draws withering criticism."