VENTURA : Water Use in August 18% Below ’89 Level

Ventura water customers reduced consumption during the month of August compared with last year, but only by 18.4%, city officials announced Thursday. It was the first time that water savings dropped below the 20% mark since a mandatory conservation program began in June.

The decrease in water savings is attributable to an unusually hot summer and to the fact that under the mandatory program adopted last March, the city makes more water available during the summer, said Carol Green, Ventura’s public works spokeswoman.

Green said most of the violators--who face fines of four times the amount of the normal water rate for every gallon they consume in excess of their allocation--were barely above the limits.