A California lawmaker is dramatically raising the stakes when it comes to water, proposing fines that could reach thousands of dollars a day and public shaming of everyone who fails to conserve.

 

Legislation introduced this week would require the state’s 411 urban water districts to set a local limit on household water consumption for drought emergencies.

 

Violators would be fined at least $500 for every 748 gallons of excess use.

 

An Alamo house identified last month as using more than 11,200 gallons per day would be assessed $6,800 a day in fines, or more than $200,000 a month, under the penalties called for in the bill.