Modesto water cops look to fine Davis High

Modesto could fine Grace Davis High School $150 for violating the city’s drought restrictions over the school’s watering of its new football field.

Sprinklers at the field have been watering Wednesdays through Saturdays, according to John Liukkonen, Modesto City Schools’ senior director for maintenance and operations. The city’s drought restrictions say the high school can water Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the city’s water conservation specialist took photos of the field being watered Wednesday, according to city officials.

Liukkonen said Modesto City Schools put in the new football field last fall as part of a $750,000 project to improve Davis High’s football and track and field facilities. He said watering at the field was increased in the spring to help the grass get established. That establishment period ended May 15, he said, and the district has asked the project’s architect to request that the project’s landscape subcontractor reduce watering to comply with the city’s restrictions.

All along, Liukkonen said the district believed the project was in compliance. But city officials said the district never requested a permit for additonal watering.

Modesto Utilities Director Larry Parlin said the city would not fine Davis High if it follows the restrictions. “If they are in compliance, that is our objective,” he said. “That said, we do need to verify they are doing that.”

Fines start at $150 then go to $250 for a second violation and $500 for each subsequent violation.

Parlin said Modesto City Schools could ask the City Council to exempt some of its facilities from the city’s Stage 2 drought restrictions, which took effect May 1 and limit outdoor watering to two days a week. Homes, businesses, schools and other city water customers with even numbered addresses can water Tuesdays and Saturdays; those with odd numbered addresses can water Wednesdays and Saturdays. The city’s Stage 1 restrictions limited outdoor watering to three days a week.

Modesto officials plan to ask the council Tuesday for exemptions for city-owned John Thurman Field – home of the minor league Modesto Nuts baseball team – as well as the Mary Grogan Community Park soccer complex and other city baseball, softball and soccer fields to water them enough to keep the grass in a safe condition, according to a city report.

Officials also are requesting an exemption to pressure-wash restrooms, bleachers, walkways and concession stands as needed at Thurman Field and Mary Grogan for health and safety reasons, according to the report.

The requests are part of a staff presentation in which officials will show that the city’s park system has reduced its use of drinkable water for watering lawns and other uses by 34 percent in the past couple of years and expects the reduction to be 41 percent with the addition of the Stage 2 restrictions. Staff also will ask the council to approve plans to replace about 29 acres of grass in city parks with bark, drought-tolerant plants and other landscaping that uses little or no water, though the city has to find the funding for much of the work.

Modesto must reduce it water consumption by 36 percent as part of California’s effort to reduce urban water use by 25 percent statewide. The state instituted differing reduction levels among cities based on how much water they use. The reduction is for drinkable water and is based on 2013 levels. Modesto may have to go to Stage 3 restrictions – which essentially ban outdoor watering – this summer if it does not save enough water under Stage 2.

Parlin said the city is reducing its own water use to help residents, businesses and other water customers meet the 36 percent mandate and to set a good example. But he said that does not mean the city shouldn’t consider exemptions when they make sense. City officials have said John Thurman Field and Mary Grogan Park are hugely popular and provide recreational and economic benefits for the city.

He said the city started getting complaints about the Davis High football field after the city adopted its Stage 2 restrictions and the city had several conversations with the school district and high school.

Liukkonen said Modesto City Schools understands the need to conserve during the drought but added that the district has to balance that against providing its students with safe sports and playing fields. For instance, he said, Sonoma Elementary School’s baseball-soccer field is not safe and needs to be replaced. He said the district plans to talk with the City Council about that project.

This story was originally published May 22, 2015 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Modesto water cops look to fine Davis High."