Despite wet winter, South Tahoe residents required to conserve water

South Tahoe Public Utility District officials said the conservation measures are needed because of a new environmental threat at Lake Tahoe: MTBE contamination.

The fuel additive has polluted more than one-third of the district's wells, and the restrictions are aimed at averting a shortage during the busy summer tourist season.

"If it's a dry June, and if people don't voluntarily cut their water use in the home, then I fully expect to have to go to (tougher restrictions)," said district spokeswoman Dawn Forsythe.

District officials got a good response to their water-saving requests last summer, when only half as many wells had been lost to MTBE.

They hope to get by this summer with the help of rules banning daytime lawn watering and allowing restaurants to only serve water upon request.

Despite the restrictions, residents should have no trouble keeping their vegetation alive, said Rick Hydrick, director of water operations for the utility.

The restrictions will keep residents from watering during the hottest part of the day and from watering too much, he said.

District officials hope residents recognize the seriousness of the situation and voluntarily go beyond the restrictions.

"Our ordinances are for outside irrigation," Forsythe said. "We can't tell people how shallow to make their baths, but we're hoping they do that on their own."

But the district isn't taking any chances with compliance, increasing the number of enforcement officers from one to three. Repeat violators face fines or even loss of water.

MTBE has tainted wells and lakes across the state and prompted Gov. Gray Davis to order its phaseout in California's gasoline by the end of 2002.

In South Lake Tahoe, MTBE has leaked from underground fuel tanks at gas stations.

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