Steep fines for water sco aws gets nod

City Council approves first look at summer water restrictions

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Brighton residents will face sti er nes for outing summer watering restrictions between May 1 and Sept. 30, City Councilors agreed at their meeting Feb. 21.

Councilors approve the rst reading of an ordinance to change the city’s water restriction penalties, increasing the ne for ignoring the restriction or wasting water from $22.50 for a third violation to a minimum of $125 for a second violation and $250 for a third violation.

Councilor Mary Ellen Pollack was having none of it.

“We’re going put it in the municipal code. We’re going to tie you up for as long as we can and we are going to get more money from you,” Pollack said. “ at’s what it looks like to me and I don’t like it. At all. We are in the middle of in ation and a recession and people may have to grow their own food, but we want more.”

She was the lone dissenting voice, and councilor approved the measure 5-1, with Councilors Matt Johnston and Clint Blackhurst absent from the meeting.

City Councilor Peter Padilla said the updated restrictions are meant to cut down on Brighton water use during drought conditions.

But strict nes are important, he said. “Water restrictions are e ective only when they have some teeth behind them,” Padilla said.

Waiting for new plant

Brighton broke ground on a new $155 million water treatment plant in July. Currently, Brighton can produce up to 12.5 gallons of water daily and has the capacity to store up 16 million gallons for later use. e new plant would e ectively double the amount of treated water Brighton can produce when it

SEE WATER, P5