IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Riverside is turning the water back on.
Based on recommendations from the city’s public utility and its board, the city council Tuesday voted to return to stage one of Riverside’s water conservation ordinance, according to a statement released Wednesday.
That means no more mandatory restrictions on outdoor watering.
From now on, any limits on outdoor watering – like the number of days customers could use outdoor irrigation systems – are strictly voluntary.
“We’ve got the water for our customers to use,” said Girish Balachandran, general manager of Riverside Public Utility, in the statement. “But not to waste, never to waste.”
The council also agreed to several modifications to the city’s drought ordinance, including changes to definitions and language so it matches California’s new water regulations. It also clarified certain exemptions regarding gray and recycled water and the use of drip irrigation.
Watering that causes runoff, washing a vehicle without a shutoff valve, washing sidewalks, roadways and driveways and failing to repair leaks are still prohibited and may be fined, according to the statement.
