Beverly Hills Residents Restricted To 2-Day Outdoor Watering

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — The city of Beverly Hills adopted water restrictions amid the persistent California drought, the city announced Friday.

Effective immediately, outdoor watering will be restricted to two days a week for residents. Residences north of Santa Monica Boulevard will water on Mondays and Fridays, while residences south of Santa Monica Boulevard will water on Tuesdays and Saturday.

No watering is allowed between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Watering is recommended for up to eight minutes for overhead sprinklers and 15-20 minutes for drip irrigation, according to the city. Violations will result in fines up to $500, according to city documents.

Trees and non-turf planting can be watered any day before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.

“Beverly Hills has always responded to the call to conserve,” Director of Public Works Shana Epstein said in a news release. “As we take these proactive steps to achieve a 30 [percent] reduction in citywide water use, we thank the members of our community for once again doing their part.”

The first three months of the year in California were the driest in recorded history, even though that is the time when the state typically receives nearly half of its precipitation.

Due to the drought, the state has slashed State Water Project deliveries to just 5 percent of requested allocations. The State Water Project typically provides 30 percent of the water used in Southern California, according to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

For more information on Beverly Hills' drought efforts, visit the city's website.

City News Service contributed to this report.