SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Water Conservation Plan OKd by City

A water-conservation ordinance that carries the threat of disconnection of water service for violators was approved by the City Council on Tuesday night.

The ordinance is aimed at meeting the recent 20% reduction in the supply of water allocated from the county Municipal Water District to the Capistrano Valley Water District, said Don Metzger, a spokesman for the district. Residents were asked to cut back water use on a voluntary basis last June.

“We’re hoping this will allow us to meet the 20% reduction right away,” Metzger said. “But we may be looking at further cutbacks in the future.”

Among restrictions included in the ordinance are:

* Water can not be served in restaurants unless requested;

* Lawn watering and landscape irrigation, including that of golf courses, parks, school grounds and recreation fields, is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Watering is permitted at any time if residents use a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle, a hand-held bucket holding 5 or less gallons of water, or drip irrigation.

* Car washing is allowed only with a hose with a trigger nozzle, or a hand-held, five-gallon bucket.

* Water may not be used to hose down outdoor paved surfaces.

* Use of ornamental fountains is restricted.

Violators will be given a written notice and have 24 hours to correct the violation, Metzger said. If the violation is not corrected, the district has the option of disconnecting service or installing a flow-restricting device on the water line, Metzger said. The council will discuss at its March 12 meeting the possibility of imposing higher water rates on consumers who use excessive amounts of water.