Stanislaus County may cut back outdoor watering to two days a week

Stanislaus County supervisors will consider an urgency measure Tuesday that would restrict outdoor watering to two days a week in unincorporated areas.

Such an action would bring the county’s conservation measures in line with local and state efforts to deal with the drought emergency. Gov. Jerry Brown called for mandatory water reductions in April, followed by a State Water Resources Control Board emergency order this month for urban conservation efforts statewide.

The county will dust off an ordinance that was adopted in the middle of the 1987-92 drought and modified in 2004 after a two-year dry spell.

If the board gives its approval, the urgency ordinance would allow homes and businesses with odd-number street addresses to run their sprinklers Wednesdays and Sundays. Those with even-number addresses could water their lawns and landscaping Tuesdays and Saturdays. No outdoor watering would be permitted Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The county action would prohibit people from running their sprinklers during the daytime hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The rules would take effect immediately if approved Tuesday evening.

According to Jami Aggers, the county’s environmental resources director, the penalties would be as follows:

“First complaint, they receive a notice by mail. If we receive a second complaint, staff are deployed. If they confirm the violation, (violators) receive a warning. If a violation is confirmed a second time, they receive a $100 administrative fine. A third is $200, and a fourth and subsequent confirmed violations are $400 each.”

The conservation measures could result in extra costs for enforcement by the Department of Environmental Resources, a report says. Costs of using temporary personnel would be covered by the department’s fund balance.

Modesto, Turlock, Patterson and Waterford have cut back watering to two days a week. Ceres and Newman are scheduled to follow suit in June. Riverbank is asking residents to voluntarily limit watering to two days a weeks.

The county ordinance has other rules concerning water conservation. It frowns on hosing down concrete, sidewalks, buildings and parking lots or allowing water to run into streets.

Restaurants should not serve water to customers unless requested. People washing their cars would need to use a hose with a shutoff nozzle.

In another item Tuesday, supervisors will receive an update from staff members on groundwater management and options for local agencies to establish groundwater sustainability agencies under landmark legislation signed by the governor in September.

Water Resource Manager Walter Ward also is expected to report on water well mapping and creation of a groundwater database for the county.

This story was originally published May 18, 2015 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County may cut back outdoor watering to two days a week."