The City of Ripon is stepping up its patrol on water wasters.

“The (three-day-a-week) summer watering schedule started this week,” said Director of Public Works James Pease at last Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

He added: “There will be extra patrols over the next few weeks to help remind people to only water during their allowed days and times.”

Pease noted that the community’s water conservation efforts for last month was identical to that of pre-drought February 2013 – 13 percent reduction, which was also the rolling 12-month average.

He provided a graph from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the monthly session.

“Over the last year, water (for the City of Ripon) has decreased about 3 feet in our wells,” Pease said.

Councilman Leo Zuber noticed that the graph showed the wells to be 10 feet lower than in 2007.

“It is important that people realize that the groundwater is not being replenished during the winters,” he said.

Since 2014, the city has maintained a “wasting water prohibited” ordinance.

The water conservation efforts consist of:

·         No watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

·         During the months of March through October, all properties with an even address are only allowed to water landscaping on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

·         During those same months, all properties with an odd address are only allowed to water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

·         Penalties for those not following the prescribed water conservation measures is a written warning followed by fines ($50 for first violation within that first year, $100 for second violation within that one-year period, and $200 for a third violation during that same one-year stretch).

More information is available at www.cityofripon.org.