A Bay Area homeowner who uses far less water than the proposed level one water emergency baseline is pushing back — not against conservation itself, but against the city telling residents how they can use their allotted water.
Melinda De Los Santos has owned her Bay Area home for 25 years. She says water restrictions are already taking a toll on her property's value, pointing to foundation cracking and brown spots in her yard.
Despite those pressures, De Los Santos said she uses around 1,000 gallons of water a month through her own conservation efforts.
"So I always capture my water and then I'll use that to go out and water," De Los Santos said.
While she understands why water usage is being curtailed, she disagrees with the city monitoring how residents use their allotment.
"If we go into curtailment, my baseline will be 6,000 gallons, but then they're telling me how I need to use that 6,000 gallons," De Los Santos said.
She has poured over documents, expressing frustration with how specific the city's instructions are on watering lawns, plants, and foundations.
"You have to use a five-gallon bucket... what if I want to use a six-gallon? Then the drip irrigation system with a positive shut-off device... I don't even know what that is!" De Los Santos said.
De Los Santos also raised concerns about property taxes increasing even during a drought of record.
"You're getting most of the money from property owners that live here... let's put the focus on those citizens and not as much on industry," De Los Santos said.
As city council could finalize a level one water emergency plan by June 2nd, De Los Santos has a message for city leaders.
"This is my water, I want to use it... some people want to use it for their pool let them use it, if I want to use it for my grass that's where I want to use it," De Los Santos said.
Her central question: Why can't residents use their water as they please, as long as they don't exceed their baseline?
I will be bringing up De Los Santos' question at Friday's city water briefing.
"I'm more than willing to conserve but just don't micromanage me and my water when industry is just using so much more," De Los Santos said.
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