NEWPORT BEACH : Proposed Ordinance Limits Water Usage

On May 14, City Council members will consider a proposed ordinance that asks residents to reduce water usage by 10% and city departments to reduce water usage by 15%.

The ordinance would require a 50% surcharge for water used for residential and commercial construction and a 10% surcharge for residential consumption of more than 1,000 cubic feet per month. It would also limit watering in city greenbelts and parks.

The Drought Action Plan, as the ordinance is called, comes in response to suggestions from the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies water to Newport Beach. Given current drought conditions and the possibility of another dry winter, Newport Beach Councilman Phil Sansone warns that unless residents cut back on water use, “there’s no question that we’re in a very serious situation.”

The ordinance would also allocate $35,000 to purchase water conservation kits for distribution, free of charge, to residents. The kits include bags for toilet tanks, faucet washers and shower heads that restrict water flow.

In addition, under the ordinance, the utility department would offer free checks for water leaks.

Residents would be asked for voluntary compliance with other guidelines, including not hosing down driveways and sidewalks, using shut-off valves on hoses when washing cars and turning off fountains that do not recycle water. Restaurants would be asked to serve water only upon request.

Sansone said he hopes residents recognize the need to limit their water use, and is optimistic about the goals of the proposed ordinance. But, he said, a similar measure enacted two years ago was unsuccessful, and water consumption rose about 4% the summer it was instituted.