Watering limits could be permanent

It may seem like an ironic time to consider such a proposal, but when the Westminster City Council meets on Wednesday, it will take up a proposed amendment to the municipal code to make permanent some of the watering restrictions introduced by the recent drought.

On the agenda is an item amending the city’s Water Conservation and Supply Shortage Program. The program, introduced in 2009, has saved over one billion gallons of water in Westminster since that time, and these amendments would follow Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to “Make Conservation a California Way of Life.”

If approved the amendments would:

• prohibit turf on public streets
• prohibit the washing of hard surfaces with drinkable water
• limit watering by residents to no more than five days per week during the summer and three days in the winter, on a schedule set by the city
• prohibit watering during or within 48 hours of a measurable rain event
• ban the issuance of pool construction permits during severe drought times.
• under some conditions, new pools must have a cover as part of the permit requirements.

Also before the council is a proposal to add two full-time police officer positions to address school safety and homeless-related issues.

The council will meet at 6:45 p.m. in a closed session, followed by an open session at 7 p.m. in its chambers at 8200 Westminster Blvd.