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San Juan advances updated water-conservation plan with fines and grant eligibility provisions
Summary
The commission approved first reading of an updated Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan that establishes five drought stages, public-notification steps and graduated fines for outdoor-watering violations; staff said the update is required to pursue certain grant funding.
The San Juan City Commission advanced on first reading an updated Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan that sets out five drought stages, formalizes enforcement steps and includes graduated fines for outdoor-watering violations. The commission opened a public hearing on the amendment to Chapter 13 of the city code, adopted as the May 2, 2026 water conservation plan, and voted to move the ordinance forward.
The Interim Director of Utilities presented the update, saying the plan formalizes triggers and penalties the city will use to respond to varying drought conditions and to meet requirements for future grant applications. “We have the warnings on the trucks where we see someone ... we are going to give them a warning first and then after that the first one is going to be $25. The second one is going to be $125,” the Interim Director of Utilities said, describing the warning-first approach and the initial fine schedule.
Commissioners pressed staff on enforcement and public outreach. Staff said the ordinance is focused on exterior uses—watering lawns, washing vehicles and other outdoor activities—and does not impose limits on indoor consumption such as drinking or showering. “It really does not pertain to consumption … it’s really for exterior,” the Interim Director of Utilities said.
Staff also told commissioners that an updated plan is a condition for pursuing certain technical-water-development grants. A staff member noted that complying with the updated plan will position the city to apply for grant funding, and that the city will expand public notifications via certified letters and communications campaigns when drought stages require action.
The commission voted to advance the ordinance after the public hearing. The first-reading approval means the city will continue the ordinance process; the transcript records the motion carried by voice vote. If adopted on final reading, the ordinance would take effect per the ordinance language and allow the city to pursue the identified grant opportunities.
The city did not specify in the hearing the full schedule of fines beyond the first two amounts or the precise effective date if the ordinance is adopted; staff said additional implementation details, public-notification procedures and stage-specific restrictions are contained in the plan packet provided to the commission.
