City Issues More Than 350 Water Violation Notices In 48 Hours

After seeing a spike in water production numbers last Thursday and Friday and an increase in complaints from people about water wasters, the city deployed enforcement officers earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon.  

"We actually netted more than 350 notices of violation and one resulted in a fine," says Jessica Hess with the city's Department of Utilities.

The first notice of violation is a written warning. Fines start at $50 for a second notice of violation, $200 for a third notice and $1,000 for a fourth.

Hess stresses, watering isn't even allowed within city limits on Thursdays, Fridays or Mondays. And she says with stormy weather in the forecast, watering shouldn't even be happening this week.

"We hope that folks will actually turn off those sprinklers during the rain," says Hess, "and not turn them back on until possibly, at the earliest, next week ."

In January, the City of Sacramento ordered a 20 percent reduction in water use because of the ongoing drought.