Top 5 Water Users Are Thousands of Gallons Over Daily Residential Quota : Conservation: Daniel H. Ridder’s household average of 4,338 gallons a day leads the list. A neighbor is close behind with 4,114 gallons a day.

LONG BEACH —  If you think you’re having a tough time with water rationing, consider the five biggest residential users in the city. It’s going to take a lot more than short showers for them to get by with a 325 gallon-a-day quota.

The thirstiest household in Long Beach is Daniel H. Ridder’s, according to information released last week by the city water department. The Ridders used an average of 4,338 gallons a day during the last year, more than 10 times what the typical Long Beach household consumed. The Ridders’ neighbor, Camp W. Russell, wasn’t far behind, soaking up an average of 4,114 gallons a day.

Ridder, chairman emeritus of the Press-Telegram, lives on one of the largest residential lots in Long Beach, 2.7 acres in the lushly landscaped Park Estates area. His walled complex has a pool, tennis court and two residences--which are billed as one by the water department.

“The water department was out here yesterday and we went over it,” Ridder said Tuesday. Nonetheless, he seemed stunned that his household used more than 4,300 gallons a day in the past 12 months. “My God,” Ridder remarked.

“We are very aware of the very critical water shortage and are cutting back our use,” he said, adding that he had greatly restricted outside watering, stopped washing down the driveway and wasn’t topping the pool as often to counter evaporation.

The average single-family home in Long Beach last year used about 374 gallons a day. Under the mandatory water-rationing program that went into effect March 29, single-family homes are limited to 325 gallons a day, although residents can appeal for a larger allocation if they have more than four people living in the house. Duplex units have been allotted 275 gallons a day and apartments are limited to 200 gallons a day.

Water used beyond the quotas is billed at three times the normal rate, meaning that water customers such as Ridder and Russell could be charged more than $400 a month if they don’t cut down.

The other top residential users identified by the water department are Theodore Hylwa of Belmont Park, whose household sopped up an average of 3,715 gallons a day; J. W. Hancock, who let 3,640 gallons a day flow from the faucets at his home in the verdant Virginia Country Club area; and J.G. Craig, who used an average of 3,466 gallons a day at his Virginia Country Club house.

They could not be reached for comment, but Steve Ehren, the water department’s conservation manager, said many of them had large, heavily landscaped lots and pools. Ehren’s office is contacting the major residential users and giving them tips on how to reduce their water consumption. Still, he added that while they will be subject to the same financial penalties as everyone else, “it’s more or less unfair to say all of a sudden they have to get down to (325 gallons).”

The department also released water-use figures for members of the City Council and the city Water Commission. A couple of commissioners last year used two or three times the amount of water they would be allowed under rationing, but have recently cut their consumption significantly. Use by the mayor and council was generally modest last year, and has also fallen recently.

Overall, Ehren said, the public “has responded very well” to calls to cut local water use by 20% in response to a drought that persists, despite last month’s bout of storms. The rain has allowed water agencies to avoid further restrictions, but it was not enough to preclude rationing.

Nonetheless, several water customers are blanching at the 325-gallon-a-day quota. The water department has received some 1,300 appeals for larger allocations, Ehren said. “When the bills come out, we expect thousands more.”

One bar owner--who along with other businesses has been allotted 80% of the water he used a year ago--called to complain about his quota, arguing that he was hardly serving any water to begin with.

The majority of appeals are from single-family homeowners claiming more than four family members. The department is trying to process the appeals within a couple of days, Ehren said, and is doing some spot-checking--primarily by phone--to verify the claims. With 87,000 customers, Ehren added that the water department has neither the time nor the staff to follow in the steps of some cities that have checked driver’s licenses or birth certificates for proof of address and number of occupants.

Although water consumption in Long Beach fell 26% last month compared to March of 1990, much of that reduction was due to the rains, which slashed the need for outside watering.

TOP RESIDENTIAL WATER USERS IN LONG BEACH The following Long Beach residents used the most water based on average monthly use from February, 1990, to March, 1991:

Location Ave. Daily Use Name of Residence in Gallons Daniel H. Ridder Park Estates 4,338 Camp W. Russell Park Estates 4,114 Theodore Hylwa Belmont Park 3,715 J.W. Hancock Virginia Country Club 3,640 J.G. Craig Virginia Country Club 3,466

Source: Long Beach Water Department