The utility will levy heavy penalties on agencies that exceed their allotment.
“We now need to start treating water like the valuable resource it is,” said Councilwoman Laura Friedman.
The City Council coalesced around the outdoor watering restrictions as an alternative to an unpopular proposal from Glendale Water & Power earlier this year that would have billed customers at least twice the regular rate for any water used that exceeded individually assigned benchmarks, which would be calculated at 10% less than their average consumption in 2006.
Council members also emphasized the need for massive public outreach to help the effort succeed.
“Sometimes what is fairest is what is most easily comprehensible, and that is what this is,” said Councilman John Drayman.
Last June, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared an official statewide drought, Glendale Water & Power enacted a 10% voluntary conservation effort, but that yielded average cutbacks of only 4%, officials said.
“Unfortunately, we’re going to have to do something to require more stringent reduction in water usage,” said Glenn Steiger, general manager at Glendale Water & Power.
But residents who have already been conserving water questioned the fairness of the original proposal, arguing it would punish those who had already been conserving 10% or more.
“We heard that time and time again,” Steiger said.
While the limited watering days would be easier for both consumers and the utility, it would also be harder to enforce, officials said.
The household benchmark option could easily be policed through higher rates, but any outdoor watering violations would have to be handled by code enforcement officers, who would levy penalties between $100 and $1,000.
“I don’t know if this is going to work,” Councilman Dave Weaver said, questioning its effectiveness.
