Stockton residents will have to cut water usage by 20%

Stockton has declared a Stage 2 Water Shortage Emergency, which means people will have cut their water use by 20%.

Customers cannot water outside between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., or on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays explained Mitchell Maidrand from Stockton’s Municipal Utilities.

“Even addresses will just be two days a week — Wednesday and Sunday,” Maidrand said. “Odd addresses will be Tuesday and Saturday.”

Councilmember Christina Fugazi says she’s already cut back on watering her lawn.

“Got one of those signs ‘Going for the gold’ and I put it out every year because my lawn will turn shades of golden and amber and yes, brown,” Fugazi said. “Well, I hope that continues because I paid to have my lawn painted green.”

Also, restaurants will only serve water upon request, people can wash their cars only on their assigned watering days and no hosing down sidewalks, driveways, and patios.

Councilmember Paul Canepa noted in a previous drought year that customers who conserved water had to pay a surcharge because the city was seeing less revenue.

“You tell people to conserve water, and oh, by the way, we’re going to raise your rate because we have a facility to run,” Canepa said. “That gets kind of frustrating to sell to people.”

But city officials say that won’t happen this time because there are no budget problems. 

The city will issue fines of $100 a day to those who leave the water running.