Santa Cruz Mandatory Water Rationing Begins Thursday, Homes Allotted 249 Gallons A Day
SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- The city of Santa Cruz is reminding Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities customers that water rationing begins Thursday.
Residents in single-family homes will be allotted 249 gallons of water per day at regular rates.
Households with more than four residents can request an additional allotment and households with fewer than four are asked to keep water use to 60 gallons per person per day.
Customers who use more than their allotment will pay $25 for the first 10 percent over and $50 for each 10 percent over after that.
Customers will be subject to the overuse penalties starting with May billing cycles.
"Our goal is not to penalize customers," city water director Rosemary Menard said in a statement. "Our goal is to help our customers be mindful about their use of our scarce water supply."
The water allotment is designed to provide enough water for indoor use but not for outdoor household irrigation, according to the water department.
Water department staff will begin enforcing restrictions Thursday by visiting neighborhoods to observe leaks on sidewalks and gutters and misuse and violations of water restriction rules. Violators will be notified either by phone or mail.
Customers are encouraged to visit the city's drought website at www.cityofsantacruz.com/drought for detailed information on water rationing. Customers can also visit the Water Department's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SantaCruzWaterDepartment.
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