Galt City Leaders Putting Pressure On Residents To Cut Water Usage
GALT (CBS13) — City leaders are putting pressure on people to turn off their water or face fines.
Starting on Friday, watering your lawn more than three times a week, washing sidewalks or driveways, or using a hose without an automatic shutoff device could mean up to $100 in fines in Galt.
Galt city leaders are taking conversation seriously.
"You get to the fifth offense we're going to be putting a water restricted in the home's water service," said Steven Winkler with public works.
Starting on Aug. 1, people like Elizabeth Ford who live in Galt will be forced to save water for the first time since the drought.
It's in response to the state water resources board's new regulations calling on California cities to cut water use.
While some will take their conservation complaints to their local leaders, others are calling out water wasters on the Internet for all to see. An app created to voice community concerns is now being used for drought shaming.
For Ford, whose garden and grass grow green, she'll now turn off the water when needed, or, she says, we pay the price of life without water.
"Because when we have no water at, all that's the only thing I'm worried about," she said. "I can do without a dead lawn if I had to you can't do with water to drink."
Galt's water-saving ordinance also says restaurants can't serve water unless customers ask. And homeowners must now get approval by the city to drain or refill their pools.
Galt city leaders say they've cut water use by 10 percent this summer compared to last year. They're now trying to reach Gov. Jerry Brown's goal of 20 percent.
