Residents Upset Sacramento City Council Didn't Ease Watering Restrictions

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A plan to ease water restrictions was shot down by the Sacramento City Council, despite staff recommendations.

The city isn't following the lead of other neighboring cities that have eased back drought restrictions, upsetting residents.

Melinda Johnson is tired of seeing her neighborhood look the way it does.

"This is normally nice lawn I've had to let all of this go," she said. "Look at this neighborhood we live in—McKinley Park—known for its lush environment, now we're having moonscape yards put in all over and people putting cement in their front yards."

Johnson has been doing her part to be creative when it comes to saving water.

But even with those savings and the savings of many other residents, the City Council voted against staff advice and is continuing the two-day-a-week watering restriction.

"It's about leadership," said Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris. "Other jurisdictions have been short-sighted, we're not out of the drought, just because of a wet season were good, it's not that way."

This while 10 of the region's 23 largest water districts have lifted watering limits and others have relaxed some of those restrictions.

Harris says two days a week of watering is plenty.

"Watering twice a week will keep plants green not too much a restrictions," he said.

But homeowners like Johnson are frustrated seeing neighbors in cities like West Sacramento ease restrictions.

"I just thought why we're all living so close together, same climate conditions why should we have to deal with you know these intense water restrictions?" she said.