VENTURA : Jail Sentence OKd for Water Wasters
The Ventura City Council passed a law Monday making water wasting a crime, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The council voted 7 to 0 in favor of the ordinance, which takes effect Dec. 25.
The ordinance is designed to prevent the intentional waste of water. It bans wasting water on landscaping and crop irrigation, allowing water leaks to go unreported for more than 48 hours after they are discovered or washing vehicles by hose without a nozzle that closes.
It also prohibits Ventura water users from washing paved areas by hose except to eliminate health hazards, restaurants from serving water to customers without first being asked and homeowners from running fountains that don’t recycle most of their drainage.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
