Santa Clara Valley Water Board votes to keep water restrictions

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Several Bay Area water agencies are now considering changing, or even lifting restrictions on usage now that reservoirs and reserves are filling up due to recent rains. But that's prompting an outcry from drought conscious water customers.

Santa Clara County has one of the highest water restriction levels around at 30 percent. Staff recommended cutting the restrictions by half Tuesday night, but the board voted against it.

The days of freely watering your lawn or hosing down your sidewalk are gone due to restrictions.

Some Bay Area water agencies were asked to loosen things up a bit.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District's staff even suggested reducing conservation from 30 to 15 percent. Many in the audience think it's way too soon for that.

"It feels good to relax restrictions. I think it's a slippery slope," said Michael Frost.

The board agreed.

"People can continue to save, and it's always good to save because we don't know what next year brings, it could be the first of several more dry years," said Marty Grimes of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

In the meantime, the East Bay Municipal Utility District board agreed today to do away with its controversial program that fined water wasters.

Still, EBMUD, Contra Costa Water, and Santa Clara Valley Water District, want to wait until a statewide water report is issued before changing or lowering local restrictions. That's not what many homeowners, tired of looking at their dry lawns, want to hear.

"They need to fluctuate. depending on the conditions," said Gregory Taugllich of San Jose.

Marlene Muraco used to be proud of her front yard. "We had other landscaping that we just let go because of the water restrictions and our inability to water it," Muraco said.

The state will announce its water report May 18.

Click here for full coverage on the California drought.

To learn how much water your city is required to cut back, click here. For water rebate information from Bay Area water suppliers, click here. You'll find tips about how to conserve water here and information on how to report water wasters #WhereYouLive, here.