The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is considering mandatory water rationing due to California's severe drought.
If the commission were to impose mandatory conservation, all water districts getting supplies from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir would have to reduce consumption by a yet-to-be determined percentage, officials said..
"We're all in this together," said Tyrone Jue of the SFPUC. "A lack of water supply affects everyone the same. If we don't have enough water, guess what? No one has enough water."
Tue said the SFPUC, which serves 2.5 million customers around the Bay Area, is considering mandatory rationing because some cities are acting like there is no drought.
"I don't understand how can anyone think we're not having a drought?" Mountain View City Councilman Mike Kasperzak said. "It's very clear. It hasn't rained."
Mountain View residents have been going beyond expectations to answer the call to conserve.
The South Bay city has scaled back water usage by more than 20 percent -- twice than what officials asked for.
Mountain View-resident Phyllis Sprague has done her part to conserve, even placing buckets in the shower to catch water while it gets hot.
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"We're definitely not hosing off our cars or sidewalks or things like that," she said. "We definitely think about conserving."
If the SFPUC decides on cutting back more than 20 percent, Sprague said it would be unfair to put Mountain View in with areas who have failed to conserve.
"It's universal and some people have already conserved," she said. "Where on Earth would we get more?"
The commission is scheduled to consider mandatory rationing at its meeting later this month.
