Sacramento Drought Busters Hand Out More Than 350 Water Violations

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — In a two-day sweep, the Drought Busters handed out more than 350 notices of violation to people breaking water rules in the city of Sacramento.

If you ask Margaret McCullough, she'll tell you she cares about the drought. She collects rainwater, and uses water-saving devices.

But despite all of her efforts to conserve, she's been accused of being wasteful.

"People have driven by and said, 'Don't you know they drought's on,'" she said.

McCullough lives in one area where Sacramento's Drought Busters have caught hundreds of water wasters.

The group concentrates on areas where residents have complained neighbors are breaking city water rules.

Currently addresses ending in odd numbers can only water on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and even numbers must water on Wednesdays and Sundays. Watering can only be done before 10 a.m. or after 7 a.m.

Most of the hundreds of violators received a warning. The next step is a $50 dollar fine, then a $200 fine and $1,000 for each one after that.

Despite the amounts for frequent offenders, Sacramento City Councilman says the city doesn't see this as a revenue generator.

"We're not trying to raise money with this," he said. "We're just trying to get people to engage in good, sound water practice."

McCullough says she needs water to keep her property clean, but following water rules can make things like cleaning up berries from her tree a little tougher.

"I don't care about fining people or penalizing people trying to do the right thing," she said. "I think we all need to be educated on what the right thing is."