Conservation Penalties for failing to meet water restrictions

Residents in some parts of Los Angeles county may see their water rates increase if they fail to meet Governor Jerry Brown’s mandatory water restrictions.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hear a proposal that focuses on homeowners in Lancaster, Marina del Rey, Malibu and Topanga Canyon. The proposal would surcharge water-wasters anywhere from 100 to 200 percent for their water consumption.

Residents are expected to cut usage “by 32 percent in Antelope Valley, 36 percent in Malibu, Marina del Rey and Topanga Canyon, and 25 percent in Action, Kagel Canyon and Val Verde,” according to an ABC 7 report.

If homeowners fail to meet the mandated cuts, a 100 percent surcharge would be tacked onto their water bill. If the homeowner goes over their water limit by 15 percent, the penalty would increase to 200 percent, or a bill that is three times their monthly rate.

The proposal takes aim at curbing those who waste water in what has been called “water shaming.”