Since the beginning of the year, Los Angeles residents like Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Sylvester Stallone, and Kevin Hart have over 150% of their monthly water budgets at least four times.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Sylvester Stallone, and Kevin Hart are among hundreds of homeowners of an elite region of Los Angeles who have been warned about water usage during a “serious” drought situation.
The newspaper states that the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) issued “notices of exceedance” to more than 2,000 customers in the enclaves of Calabasas and Hidden Hills in the San Fernando Valley.
It follows the agency’s declaration of a drought emergency at the end of 2021 and the subsequent tightening of restrictions in June of this year.
The notices indicate that customers, including the Kardashian sisters, Stallone, and Hart, have exceeded 150% of their monthly water budgets at least four times since then, according to the LA Times, which obtained the documents sent to residents in May and June by submitting a request under the California Public Records Act.
The LVMWD cautioned in a tweet earlier in August that residents who overuse water are liable to fines. Flow restrictor devices may be put on properties subject to warnings.
Former US basketball player Dwyane Wade and his actress wife Gabrielle Union, as well as attorneys, doctors, and Hollywood executives, are among the locals who have been called.
The notices state, “Customers are expected to comply with the water use cutbacks and water conservation measures in place due to this emergency.”
According to research published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the US West has seen its driest two decades in at least 1,200 years as a result of the drought.
The Las Virgenes district implemented stage three water restrictions on June 1, limiting outdoor watering to one day per week. There are four stages of water restrictions in all, with stage three designated as “severe.”
In May and June, according to the LA Times, Stallone’s property was among several that exceeded their budget allocation.
The report quotes the actor’s attorney Marty Singer as claiming that the data may “mischaracterize and distort the water usage issue at my client’s property.”
He proceeded: “On the land, there are over 500 mature trees, including numerous fruit trees and pine trees. Without appropriate moisture, they would likely perish. This could cause death or damaged trees to fall onto the land of my client or other homes.”
Mr. Singer stated that Stallone has been “responsibly and proactively handling the matter” by allowing some grasses to die and watering areas with drip irrigation, as well as awaiting an inspection and further instructions on how to deal with the mature trees.
The attorney’s statement continued, “I am convinced that all of the larger properties in the vicinity have comparable difficulties.” “Therefore, I am confident that my client will not be unfairly singled out in the report due to his celebrity status.”
Reportedly, former NBA star Wade responded to the report by blaming their excessive water use for an issue with their swimming pool. Since moving into the house, he and Union have “taken drastic measures to limit water usage in compliance with the new city requirements” and are “doing everything we can to correct the situation.”
Earlier in August, California’s grid operator asked the state’s 40 million residents to reduce their residential and business electricity consumption during a heatwave. Scientists predict that when instances of extreme heat become more regular, the burden on power and water systems will intensify.
