Our View: Overwatering? Better to fix it than get a ticket

The only way Modesto, or any other Valley city, is going to reach the state’s water-reduction goals is by getting tough. It’s a sad fact, but without enforcement many people and entities will ignore the rules for watering lawns and landscaping.

Sometimes, it’s hard to blame them. People who have put enormous effort into tending and landscaping their lawns don’t want to see that work go to waste. And there’s no doubt that reducing water will stress or even kill some plants. Perhaps those plants really don’t belong in a semi-arid region. Still, an overwhelming majority of Californians support these restrictions.

We’ve already suggested that public entities – from the state to the city to our irrigation districts – should follow the lead of Southern California and combine efforts to develop programs to help us defray the cost of replacing lawn with less water-intensive plants. That would lessen demand, making more available for others. But so far, we haven’t been told of any such programs. We’re still waiting.

In the meantime, it’s up to all of us to help our cities reach the goals – a 36 percent reduction in Modesto (1 percentage point more than even well-watered Beverly Hills), 35 percent in Turlock and Ripon and 25 percent in Ceres, Manteca and Patterson, for instance.

Sending out the “water cops” early every morning is something that must be done. But we do have a few suggestions.

First, the water cops shouldn’t spend all their time looking at residential lawns. Some of the biggest water wasters are actually much larger entities – including schools and public facilities. We recommend the first stop should be Modesto City Schools’ main office on Locust Street.

Reader John McGrath took some photos Sunday (it was after dark, so they don’t show up very well). They show water soaking sidewalks and driveways and flooding the gutter to three feet from the curb.

Second, recognize that a single busted sprinkler head can create a gusher on a lawn that is otherwise being watered reasonably. If we must cite such problems, we should give the resident a chance to fix them. But the resident shouldn’t delay.

Third, residents should take advantage of the city of Modesto’s offer to perform a water audit. Not only will you find out if you’re getting the most “wet for your water,” but you’ll also learn if you could be watering more efficiently by making some fairly simple adjustments.

The city has done 50 audits with 46 on tap. So if you know your system needs work, it might be more expedient to call a professional and get started.

If you’ve got a problem, it’s better to get a visit from someone who can fix it rather than someone who will write you a ticket.

This story was originally published May 19, 2015 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Our View: Overwatering? Better to fix it than get a ticket."