Outdoor Pot Growth ‘Waste of Water,’ Growers Face Steep Fines

Outdoor marijuana growth is a waste of water, say Sacramento County supervisors, and this means higher fines for pot growers.

The Sacramento Bee reports the supervisors two weeks ago moved to categorize using water for outdoor marijuana cultivation as a waste of water. Pot growers could face fines of up to $500 per day.

California Fish and Wildlife environmental scientist Scott Bauer tells the newspaper that a single marijuana plant can use between 5 and 10 gallons per day.

The supervisors’ move comes as California is in its fourth year of historic drought and its first few months under mandatory statewide water reductions.

Also this week the California Water Resources Control Board proposed a first-of-its-kind, $1.5 million fine for a group of Central Valley farmers accused of illegally taking water during the drought, the Associated Press reports.