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The Pleasanton City Council Tuesday night reinstated stiff monetary penalties for businesses and residents who fail to reduce their water consumption by at least 25% ‘s water czar starting May 15 and through most of the year.

The council voted unanimously to accept the recommendation of Daniel Smith, director of Operations Services and serving as Pleasanton’s water czar.

With almost no rainfall so far this year and reservoirs at record lows, Smith’s 25% mandated reduction program was not unexpected. It follows a similar mandate statewide by Gov. Jerry Brown, which called for similar thigh smaller reductions that vary across the state.

In Pleasanton, the mandated 25% reductions will be based on comparable water bills in 2013 as they were last year, not on 2014 billings.

The penalties effective for much of 2014 were dropped for 90 days last January as water department managers awaited possible rainfall during the winter months, which didn’t happen.

“With the return of hot weather, it is recommended that the excess use penalties be reinstated,” Smith told the council.

The 25% mandated cut in water use means:

Cutting back on lawn sprinkling to 12 minutes a week and never in daytime.

No car washing in driveways; use commercial car washes only that recycle their water.

No topping off swimming pools unless they have covers, and no new pools or refills be allowed in Pleasanton during the water crisis.

To encourage residents and businesses to conserve, Dublin and Livermore have raised rates across the board. Pleasanton’s rules keep rates the same, but add penalties if 25% reductions aren’t made.

These can be steep. Customers who fail to meet the 25% mandatory cutback will be charged an additional $4 per unit of water used above that amount and fined $50. For a second offense, the extra unit charge goes to $8 with a $100 penalty; a third time will cost $12 a unit and a $250 penalty; a fourth violation will raise the unit cost to $12 with a $500 penalty.

Smith said waivers will be issued for those water users who long ago cut back and whose bills prove it. Also exempted will be families that have added newborns or older relatives in their households since a year ago. It’s the big users Smith and his department are going after. Getting those customers to comply with the 25% cut will go a long way toward solving Pleasanton’s water shortage, Smith said.

Smith said the 25% cutbacks shouldn’t cause many problems since water usage across the city was reduced by 27.8% last year, above the goal and n a year when the program didn’t start until late spring.

“We’re already ahead of last year with water consumption in April down 30% as of this week, compared to 11.2% at this time a year ago,” Smith said.

Pleasanton’s water reduction compliance is far ahead of the mandates the governor imposed, Smith said, but by making water use cuts mandatory throughout California, that will help ensure adequate water supplies for everyone for quite some time.

Brown’s mandate did add new compliance rules here, however. Restaurants can no longer serve water to customers unless asked, and hotels will have to give customers an option of re-using their linens during their stay to save water used in laundering.

Smith urged the public to start reading their water meters regularly and to check for possible leaks. Customers can call the city’s “Drought Line” at 931-5504 for information and assistance. They can also receive rebates on making water efficiency upgrades, but should contact his department through the Drought Line before making any purchases or changes to make sure the rebates apply.

Starting with May water billings, customer bills will show how current usage compares with 2013 consumption.

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21 Comments

  1. “Cutting back on lawn sprinkling to 12 minutes a week”

    That applies to watering all of the parks in town. No more twice weekly waterings of 2 hours each time for the Friday concert park. That park showed little if any browning last year because of the extreme amount of water the city used to keep it green. Do it this year and you will be reported for the water wasters that you are.

  2. Force the city to comply also,

    If you call them they will tell you it does not apply to the city services nor parks. The whole thing stinks of big lib government. Everyone should be cut 25% including all give and businesses including recycled water. How you get to your bogey should be up to you. No baths or flushing or car washing is not their call.

    Other than punishing people I would like to know what the long term plan is?

  3. During the last “Mandatory Reduction” period, the museums downtown had all these “We Conserve Water” signs, yet every time I was downtown around 11pm, there is was, sprinklers on full blast soaking mostly the bricks and sidewalks, and oh yeah, the “We Conserve Water” signs.

    I wonder if that will be addressed this time around?

  4. Pete,

    “Other than punishing people I would like to know what the long term plan is?”

    Clearly the answer is more low income housing, per decrees of ABAG and Sacramento.

  5. Will City of Pleasanton Water provide tools to help residents measure and reduce? The graphs on the bill are useless because they don’t compare billing period over billing period. I hear City of Dublin created an app for residents. Can CoP reach across the freeway and collaborate with Dublin and figure out how to adapt it for CoP residents?

  6. Pleasanton, the so-called “City of Planned Progress” should STOP MASSIVE SPRAWL in Pleasanton and vote AGAINST the proposed East Pleasanton Specific Plan!! We don’t have water for this plan, even though the developers said there is plenty of water for 1,300 new homes….HELP??? Developers are only out for themselves and not for the people of Pleasanton!! Please attend the remaining two meetings on April 23, Thurs.@ 6:30PM – Donlon Elementary School MPR AND April 29, Wed.@ 6:30PM – 333 Busch Road Operation Svc. Ctr. and let our City Leaders know that you are against this project!! We don’t need more homes in our beautiful city!!!

  7. I would think that if penalties are to be imposed for high water usage then the city must be considering rewards for achieving the water targets? Correct? How about providing a location in town where people can pick up recycled water for use on plants and such? I know the city reads these blogs so please consider.

  8. @PUNISHED – Fully agree with you that the billing information provided by the city water department is lacking in the detail that is needed for managing water use. Dan Smith seems more hell bent on issuing fines then he does in helping people manage their water use. Did you notice how fast Pleasanton came up with a computer program to issue fines? This is while other surrounding cities spent money to design computer applications to help their citizens manage water use.
    @PETE – the Dublin/San Ramon water treatment plant located at Stoneridge and Johnson Dr., allows you to carry away 300 gallons a trip and you can make 11 trips per day. This is free water that grass and landscape plants love. And agree with you that some form of incentives should be given to people who conserve. And I further agree with @Swimmer 75 that any water conserved by the citizens should not be used by the city to justify new development.

  9. @Pete, the “Big Lib” government are mostly, if not all, pro development, well politically contributed and supported Chamber of Commerce Repubs. Get over it, they have their Marching Orders.

  11. And in the meantime, Dublin is breaking ground on a 480,000 gallon waterpark and Fracking industry used between 70-100 MILLION gallons of water, with no restrictions set for them.

    Houston, we have a problem.

  12. “I would like to see a published list of the “dirty thirty”— The 30 highest consuming residential addresses in Pleasanton.”

    Well, start with every single address in Ruby Hill and Sycamore Valley, they are all so very entitled that the rules certainly don’t apply to them.

    I agree that we should all be told who the abusers are. Since we are expected to cut back it would be fair to tell us who is just buying their way into a green lawn. As for those on Division St watering from a well – – – where exactly do they think that water is coming from? They are depleting the ground water and should not be allowed to waste it on their green lawns either.

  13. So we are required to cut our water usage 25%. And what we don’t use with this cut back will now go to all the new residents.
    What the hell is wrong with this picture.
    This city council has got their heads up their you know whats.
    I really resent the cut backs when all the new housing is going in.
    There should be an absolute stop to all new building NOW!

  14. The article is wrong again, just like last year. It states the fine will be for water units used OVER the limit. This is not the case. EVERY drop used is fined if you go over your allowed units. ALSO, How will Pleasanton justify this now that a SoCal court has said its illegal to charge more than it costs to purchase and deliver the water. Sounds like this ‘revenue’ scam will be blown

  15. How is this fair for those who were already using just enough water ? Folks who were using more than they should have can cut back. There should be some minimum allowance based on number of people in the household.

  16. Missing from this article is the allowed minimum of 40 Units (CCF) per-two-month billing period. So, if you use up to 40 CCF, there is no penalty, regardless of whether or not you use 25% less than 2013 (Independent, 9/18/14; San Jose Mecury News, 9/25/14).

    Has anyone had any success accessing your water information via the City’s website? I tried this and go the message “Your information does not match with the information available in system.” I copied my information straight off of the bill, tried both my wife and my SS# and both of our email addresses. No luck.

  17. @Only Part of Story: “Missing from this article is the allowed minimum of 40 Units (CCF) per-two-month billing period. So, if you use up to 40 CCF, there is no penalty, regardless of whether or not you use 25% less than 2013 (Independent, 9/18/14; San Jose Mecury News, 9/25/14).”

    The 40 units per two month billing period exemption was true for last year’s water use rules. Does it still hold for this year? It should. Hopefully, the PW will follow up on this.

  18. Damon,

    It’s my understanding from calling them is that all of last years rules remain intact.

    They also said that they are reviewing what to do if the tiered penalty system they use is considered unconstitutional. If the ruling stands then money will be due to people penalized using the tiered system.

  19. Last night Tawny Park’s sprinklers were on full blast watering the sidewalk, and a river of run off streamed into the storm train for at least an hour. Is that part of the 12 minute program?

  20. Relax everyone, we got a Council Member appointed to Wheels! All is well in Pleasandopia…but seiously, those who think they have the right answer should run for Council. $16.5 million in Parks should settle everyone down!

  21. Remember when George Bowen ran for City Council, with a platform of no new housing during the drought? But, the fine folks in Pleasanton didn’t think it was a important issue so didn’t vote for him. We are stuck with a council who are beholding to developers. In the meantime, the city will have dead trees, barren front yards, and residents who can’t flush or shower!

  22. We check our meter every week and have a spreadsheet with our totals so we don’t go over the 25% reduction number and get penalized. Yes, it is true they penalize you on your WHOLE amount NOT the amount you go over. I do think the courts will say they can’t fine people because of Prop 218 if I read it correctly in the paper yesterday.

    I also agree that the new housing project needs to stop. I had no idea this was on the table so quickly to be built. I have no idea how the city is justifying that with our schools so overcrowded as it is. Not to mention the water issues. Please help stop this project! I thought that was going to be retail space I had no idea what was low income/affordable (whatever you want to call it!) housing going in there!

  23. To only part of the story.

    I had this problem a year ago and a simple phone call to the city department solves the problem. No need to travel anywhere. For long time water customers there is some information missing in your file that the city needs before you can go online. I forget what that is.

  24. More sensible approach and clearer communication than last year. Those of us who already consume less, cut down enough already shouldn’t be asked to more. Also, 12 minutes of watering is preferred compared to even/odd days mandated last year.

    A guideline on what is expected usage for a typical house (or category of houses/apartments) would be helpful to measure our reduction effort.

    RR

  25. Responding to “Checking the Meter Every Week:”
    Just to make sure you have the facts straight about the East Side Project:
    1. There will likely be no building for 5 to 7 years. Also, the Mayor has said he would like to see the project on the ballot, allowing Pleasanton residents to vote on it.
    2. The City has a rule on the books that says no more than 235 homes can be built in town in any one year. That includes the East Side and all other new building combined. It would take probably 7 years for the entire project to be built.
    3. The housing on the East Side is market-rate housing, not low income.
    4. An elementary school is part of the plan and will be built if approved by the School District.
    Hope this helps.

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  155. I would like to see a published list of the “dirty thirty”— The 30 highest consuming residential addresses in Pleasanton.

  156. Lt. Gov. Newsom holds forum on how to regulate POT.

    I googled “How much water does it take to grow a POT plant”?
    The answer, “six gallons each day for one POT plant”.

    I do not know how many POT plants can grow on one acre. But, that is a lot of water. Newsom is conducting a forum on how to regulate POT!

    During a drought!

    The government insanity marches on.

  157. @Only etc. :
    It works fine. The bug is that if you’ve been a water user for a long time, you didn’t get some piece of data entered. It’s been too long for me to remember what it was. Anyway, take your bill and go to the City facility out by the transfer station and it will get squared away.

  158. The southern CA court ruling is irrelevant to the penalties. Pleasanton can just refund the entire bill to the frugal users until the revenue is neutral.

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