Montebello : Water Conservation Eased to 10% and Made Voluntary

A bountiful rainy season has prompted the Montebello City Council to ease water conservation measures. Council members voted unanimously to change their water-use reduction target from a mandatory 20% to a voluntary 10%.

The change will be reflected in the water-rate structure. Under the discarded, tougher plan, water rates had doubled when customers exceeded their allotment, said Ayyad Ghobrial, director of public works. The council action eliminated penalties for those who failed to meet conservation goals.

Ghobrial said the new rates, which take effect immediately, would also reward residents who use less water by removing a minimum water charge and billing only for the water used. At the same time, commercial water rates will rise in order to replace any revenue lost from the changes.

The city water company serves about 20% of Montebello’s 58,000 residents. Four other water companies also serve the city. They already have reduced their conservation target to 10% as a result of heavy rains that have reduced the risk of continued drought.