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(KSL TV) Salt Lake's City Council has approved a tough new Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
The five step plan includes tough fines for water wasters who continue their bad habits. The more offenses, the tougher the restrictions.
A first offense for wasting water would bring a warning from workers with public utilities. Second time-- $100. And the fifth time will earn you a $1,000 fine, and possibly a flow restrictor or even water shut-off for the worst wasters.
Dave Buhler/ Salt Lake City Council Member: "Nobody wants to be fined. I'd be really happy if we passed this and nobody ever is fined. But sometimes you need to have teeth to get people's attention, and I think maybe where the public is coming from is that, 'If I conserve and you don't, that still affects me.'"
Currently the city is at a moderate water restriction.
So far this summer water consumption in Salt Lake is down an impressive 20%.
