SIMI VALLEY : Council Repeals Law on Water Conservation
The Simi Valley City Council voted unanimously Monday to repeal a 1991 city law that made it illegal to waste water, replacing it with a call for voluntary conservation.
Council members, who also serve as directors of Ventura County Waterworks District No. 8, said the law is no longer needed now that Gov. Pete Wilson has proclaimed an end to the state’s seven-year drought. To officially wipe the ordinance from the books, the council will have to vote a second time for its repeal in the coming weeks.
At the height of the drought, Simi Valley, like many cities, passed a law making it illegal to engage in water-wasting practices such as hosing down a driveway, neglecting leaky pipes and serving water at restaurants when a customer does not request it.
Under the ordinance, violators first receive warning letters, then face a fine if the wasteful practices continue.
But Simi Valley staff members said that since the law was enacted, everyone who received a warning cooperated with the city, and no one had to pay a fine.
At a June 15 budget review meeting, the council is expected to decide whether to continue employing a water conservation coordinator.
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