Strict Water Restrictions Take Effect In Calabasas

CALABASAS, CA — Calabasas may have brown lawns in its future as strict one-day-per-week outdoor watering restrictions took effect Wednesday.

Starting Wednesday, Calabasas addresses ending with even numbers can water only on Tuesdays and addresses ending in odd numbers can water on Thursdays. Traditional sprinkler systems that use potable water can only run for eight minutes and high-efficiency sprinklers can run for 15.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District on May 17 voted unanimously to approve the new restrictions as the local drought emergency continues to worsen.

“This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make as a Board member,” water district Board President Jay Lewitt said in a news release. “Our customers, like 6.6 million other Southern Californians, must take responsibility for our water usage to avoid even more strict outdoor irrigation restrictions that could come later this year. We need everyone to do their part.”

Outdoor watering restrictions came in two waves for Calabasas residents. On May 1, residents saw a 50 percent reduction in their outdoor watering budgets. This means residents' unique allocation of water was cut in half.

Residents can request to increase their water budget online, although doing so may take weeks.

There are some key exceptions to the restrictions. Exceptions to the one-day outdoor watering rule include: hand-watering trees, using recycled water, topping off swimming pools, washing animals, dust control for corrals, solar panel and tennis court maintenance and filling new pools.

Of course, the restrictions come with enforcement. Residents will face a series of penalties for using more than their water budget:

• 1st penalty: A warning with an estimate of what the penalty cost would have been.
• 2nd penalty: $2.50 per unit of water used over 150 percent of water budget.
• 3rd penalty: $5 per unit of water used over 150 percent of water budget. Resident subject to the installation of a flow restriction device.
• 4th penalty: $7.50 per unit of water used over 150 percent of water budget. Resident subject to the installation of a flow restriction device.
• 5th and subsequent penalties: $10 per unit of water used over 150 percent of water budget. Resident subject to the installation of a flow restriction device.

Local officials are looking to secure additional water allocations for wildfire prevention, according to the district.

Learn more about the new restrictions on the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District's Website.