Santa Monica : Water-Saving Measures

The City Council passed a measure this week to make developers who want to tap into city water for new projects pay for water-saving plumbing fixtures that will be installed throughout the city.

The measure was designed to save twice the amount of water that would have been used by a new building by funding low-flow toilets and shower heads for residential use citywide. Under a Santa Monica program called Baysaver, residents must install low-flow fixtures or face fines.

On Feb. 26, the council passed an ordinance requiring city water users to cut water use 25%. At the time, slow-growth advocates urged the council to ban new water hook-ups, and thus prohibit new development. But the council opted to “offset 200% of the projected water demand from new projects” through the developer fees, according to a city staff report.

Under the resolution, passed unanimously by the council Tuesday night, a five-unit apartment building will have to pay a one-time fee of $5,700, while a $20,000 square-foot office building would have to pay $14,400. The fees are based on how much money it would take to buy enough low-flow fixtures to save twice the water a new development would use.

The council also directed City Atty. Robert M. Myers to draft an ordinance that will prohibit renters from removing low-flow toilets, shower heads and faucet aerators installed by their landlords. And a measure was passed to allow the city to purchase $46,000 worth of low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators for free distribution to residents.