4 months ago
SACRAMENTO, CA - When it comes to water conservation in the city of Sacramento, one set of rules applies to homeowners and businesses, while another applies to the city government itself.
"There's a total double standard," said Natomas resident Molly Ibietatorremendia, who noticed her neighborhood park being watered during the heat of the afternoon.
An ordinance enacted by the city council in May prohibits outdoor irrigation on Mondays and between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. the rest of the week. Residents and businesses must also follow an odd-even watering pattern depending on their address.
But the ordinance specifically exempts the city government, instead directing the city manager to draft regulations aimed at reducing water use. A casual examination of city parks and other municipal property shows there's plenty of room to improve.
Brandy Tuzon Boyd posted pictures on her blog the Natomas Buzz of two city parks being watered Monday afternoon and alerted News10.
"Two parks, basically across the street from each other, were watering at the same time in 100-plus degree heat," she said.
News10 discovered sprinklers running at 1 p.m. Tuesday, ironically, at one of the city's two water treatment plants.
City parks spokesman Hindolo Brima said his department is striving to set watering schedules for just three days a week, choosing days that would be least disruptive to park visitors. Mondays would not necessarily be ruled out.
Brima said the delay in setting up the schedules is due largely to the fact that sprinklers at most of the city's 230 parks cannot be operated from a central location, and cuts in park staffing has delayed the re-programming of individual irrigation timers.
But halfway through summer, some residents aren't satisfied with the explanation, among them Molly Ibietatorremendia.
"A larger population would follow the rules and do what they're supposed to do if they're led by people following the rules," she said.
by George Warren gwarren@news10.net
KXTV/News10
