Los Angeles County orders water fees to reach state cutback goal

By Daina Beth Solomon LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles County officials voted on Tuesday to charge water users for over-consumption in areas hit with some of California's toughest reduction mandates as the state withers from a four-year drought. The conservation plan, approved unanimously by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, will charge most consumers in heavy-use regions including Malibu up to twice their usual rates for any consumption exceeding allocated amounts by 15 percent, officials said. "We generally use a surcharge like this so that people who use over their allotment will understand this is serious," Supervisor Sheila Kuehl told a public meeting on the issue.

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