ESCONDIDO -- City residents would be forced to water their lawns less often, turn off their backyard fountains and comply with several other water-saving requirements under new restrictions the City Council is slated to approve May 20.

But city officials said last week that recent conservation efforts by Escondido residents have been impressive enough that the city would probably postpone a related plan to levy punitive rate increases against excessive water users.

The new restrictions would be triggered by the council declaring a Level 2 water emergency, which some other cities and water agencies have done in the three weeks since the San Diego County Water Authority approved 8 percent water delivery cuts that take effect July 1.

The delivery cuts were prompted by lower-than-normal snowfall in Northern California, half-empty state reservoirs and new restrictions on pumping water into Southern California to protect an endangered minnow. California is experiencing its eighth consecutive year of drought.

While Escondido's Level 2 restrictions would limit lawn watering to three or four days a week and require restaurants to use special nozzles, city officials stressed that the changes would be far less severe than Level 3 restrictions.

Those rules, which could be enacted if things don't improve, would limit lawn irrigation to two days a week, require covers for swimming pools and would curb development in Escondido by putting a moratorium on new residential water meters.

Also, city officials said the Level 2 restrictions may be softened or adjusted before the council's May 20 vote.

The council adopted four levels of water restrictions in October, anticipating that the water shortage would worsen. But City Attorney Jeff Epp is amending those restrictions by tightening some language and reviewing rules related to fountains and some other details, said Richard Walker, the city's deputy utilities manager.

The city has not come up with a detailed plan to enforce the restrictions. But city officials said first offenses would probably receive only a warning, with fines coming after that.

Using less water

Escondido residents have done a remarkable job of conserving water since the council adopted the new city restrictions in October, said Walker, explaining that residential customers have managed a roughly 15 percent decrease.

But when businesses and agricultural users are included, the decrease drops to about 7 percent, which is short of the city's goal of 8 percent to 10 percent reductions.

"People have done a great job, and we are very close to our target," said Walker. "We just need them to do a little more."

Walker said the punitive rate increases for excessive users would also probably be removed from the Level 2 changes, but that they would probably be levied later if water conservation by local residents does not meet the targets.

The families of Councilwomen Olga Diaz and Marie Waldron have shown that sharp reductions are possible. Both families have lowered their monthly water consumption from 31,000 gallons to 4,000 gallons since winter.

But both women said the reductions did not come easily.

Waldron said her lawn has turned brown since she shut her sprinklers off, convincing her that Escondido residents should strongly consider drought-tolerant ground covers.

"Having a lush lawn requires a very large amount of water," she said.

Diaz said she has shortened showers to five minutes for all six members of her family, stopped running her dishwasher at less than full capacity and begun running her yard sprinkler far less often.

"It wasn't easy, but it's doable," said Diaz. "The conservation campaign was designed to shock, and I have to admit it worked. But I'm worried about whether we can sustain it."

Diaz said city officials plan to help encourage conservation by putting a "water calculator" on the city's Web site later this month, which will allow people to determine how much they would save by cutting back.

The site is www.ci.escondido.ca.us/depts/ut/conservation/stage1/index.html. City officials also recommend that residents visit www.bewaterwise.com.

If the Level 2 restrictions are not adjusted significantly, Walker said the city would have to turn off the large fountain at City Hall and that many residents would have to stop using their backyard fountains and ponds unless they support aquatic life.

"And you can't just go out and buy 10 goldfish for $1 apiece," said Walker, explaining that the aquatic life exemption is meant more for people with elaborate ponds holding koi and other larger fish.

Despite her conservation efforts, Waldron said she opposes the city's plan to declare a Level 2 emergency, saying the city should not "jump" just because unelected state and county officials are making demands. She said more studies should be done about the endangered minnow before any restrictions are adopted.

But the rest of the council has expressed strong support for the city's efforts to encourage conservation.

"Other than the budget, the water issue is the most serious issue facing the city," said Councilman Sam Abed. "We may need to spend hundreds of millions dollars increasing our water capacity. But the more water we save, the less cost we will have."

Contact staff writer David Garrick at (760) 740-5468