You can only water outdoors now on Saturdays in Costa Mesa district

With “great reluctance,” as some directors put it, the Mesa Water District approved new conservation measures Thursday that include limiting outdoor watering to once a week.

Instead on Tuesdays and Saturdays, outdoor watering is now only permissible on Saturdays, before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m., effective immediately.

In addition, the district is requiring that leaks, breaks or malfunctions causing water loss be fixed within 48 hours instead of 72. Ratepayers also cannot fill ornamental fountains, lakes and ponds — save for those supporting wildlife, such as koi fish.

Proponents said the measures are partially meant to bring attention to California’s ongoing drought and meet the state’s mandates for Mesa Water to conserve by 20% its June 2015 through February 2016 water use levels compared with those same months in 2013.

“We as a board are stuck between a rock and a hard place,” President Shawn Dewane said of the situation, adding later: “However, we are playing with the deck of cards that were dealt.”

Director Fred Bockmiller noted that if Mesa Water doesn’t meet its mandates, it could face heavy fines from Sacramento.

“I don’t like the state government … coming to us and mandating, with the heavy hammer of a $10,000 per day fine, to do this,” he said.

Directors Ethan Temianka and Jim Atkinson dissented on the vote. Temianka suggested keeping Tuesday and Saturday watering mandatory, with the added recommendation, not requirement, of watering only on Saturdays.

District officials noted that, cumulatively, Mesa Water has met its 20% reduction since June. On a month-by-month basis, however, it did not hit the mark in September and October, with 17.8% and 7.7% cuts, respectively, compared to those same months in 2013.

Mesa Water issued 2,750 notices of violation for alleged water wasters between June 1 and Oct. 31.

None of those notices, however, have escalated to fines, which are as high as $200.

Many Mesa Water ratepayers spoke against the limited watering schedule, contending that it will hurt the health of their landscapes. Many also worried about cutting back any more than they already have.

Costa Mesa resident Don Knipp, representing the California Assn. of Nurseries and Garden Centers, said his group is aware of the drought, but “our lawn industry has been devastated by this situation going on right now ... I feel it’s a final nail in the coffin for lawns if we continue this way.”

“All plant material does not go dormant during the winter months in Southern California,” he added. “We have gardening activity all year round.”

Another Costa Mesa resident, John Knox, said his household has been doing its part and has cut its water usage by half.

“I don’t think you can squeeze much more water out of the residents … maybe you need to go after commercial, the golf courses, the cemeteries,” he said.

Mesa Water directors also approved spending $150,000 for an outside company to conduct an expedited public relations campaign on the new conservation measures.

Ratepayers will receive mailers, post cards, door hangers and see newspaper and online ads and billboards.

The district is also offering a bucket of conservation tools Dec. 12 at Estancia High School, from 9 a.m. to noon.