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For the first time in High Point's history, the city will enact mandatory water restrictions Monday.

Public Services Director Chris Thompson said Thursday that city water levels have remained around the 66 percent mark for the past several days, but unless a lot of rain falls in the near future, city lake levels will continue to drop toward the 60 percent level, the point when mandatory restrictions kick in.

The rules prohibit irrigation, except by hose or drip irrigation, and limit the amount of water used to water lawns, fill pools and wash cars.

The City Council approved new water penalties for violators.

The penalty will depend on the size of your water meter — ranging from $100 for a first offense if your meter is 1 inch or smaller to $600 for a third offense if your meters is 1½ inches or larger.

Multiple incidents will result in loss of service.

Before the change, customers would have paid a fine up to $50 or spent time in jail up to 30 days.

City Manager Strib Boynton said the mandatory restrictions will stay in place until the lake levels are back to 80 percent.

Boynton and Mayor

Becky Smothers said that the biggest water users are residents and commercial properties that continue to irrigate.

The new rules also:

• bill customers double for water use over 15 units. Residents have been asked to lower water usage to 10 units, 7,500 gallons, or less a month.

• empower Thompson to negotiate with all industrial and commercial accounts to ensure all conservation measures are carried out. Boynton said the city staff has already spoken with some commercial users.

Smothers said home owner associations, High Point University and other businesses, such as apartment complexes, with a large number of residents should be asked to tell residents to conserve water.

Councilman Latimer Alexander said educating students through Guilford County Schools would teach children conservation measures. Smothers agreed and said children would be good at patrolling water usage at their home.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241 or eseagraves@news-record.com