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Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kevin Hart, and Dwayne Wade are some Los Angeles residents being called out for wasting water during California’s drought. According to The Los Angeles Times, these celebrities are among some of the state’s biggest violators of local water restrictions.
The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, best known for servicing affluent Los Angeles cities like Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village, etc., has been handing out notices since December to more than 2,000 residents who have been exceeding their water budget.
Reportedly, there have been a few stars who have been violating their water restrictions and exceeding their budget by more than 500%. In June, a 26-acre Calabasas property owned by Kevin Hart exceeded its budget by 519% in June.
The Kardashians’ Hidden Hills residences are known by many. Two of their properties reportedly went over budget by approximately 230,000 gallons. A Kourtney Kardashian-owned residence near Calabasas exceeded its budget by about 101,000 gallons.
In June, retired basketball player Dwayne Wade and his wife, actor Gabrielle Union’s Hidden Hills property, exceeded their water budget by 1,400%. This comes after they clocked in at an excess of 489,000 gallons in May.
Actor Sylvester Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, were also notified for exceeding their water budget by 533% for their 2.26 acre residence.
According to the state government's website, the Golden State is experiencing “severe drought” conditions which could potentially lead to a lengthy wildfire season along with an increase in wildlife diseases. This comes after the state has been experiencing a drought since 2020.
What are the water restrictions being implemented in California to curtail the ongoing drought?
This is not the first time California has undergone a water shortage. The most recent drought the state experienced was between 2012 and 2016.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has placed rules and regulations on residents since May. In hopes of reducing water usage, they have announced that residents must cut down their lawn watering to two days a week. By doing so, they are hoping to reduce water usage by 35%.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California provides water to 40% of the state. The board declared a water emergency last month. They have since asked their customers to reduce lawn watering to just one day per week.
To make matters more efficient, the state has announced that street addresses with odd numbers will be watering their yards on Mondays and Fridays. While those street addresses with even numbers can water their lawns on Thursdays and Sundays.
Those who do not comply with the regulations will initially receive a warning. However, according to Martin Adams, the LADWP’s general manager, customers can receive hefty fines if they do not comply with the rules.
The aforementioned celebrities would have to comply with such regulations set by Southern California. Other cities have similar restrictions related to their water usage and fines.
Dwayne Wade and Sylvester Stallone issue statement after exceeding water usage
Wade and Union issued a statement to The Times defending their water consumption. They claimed that they were exceeding their water usage due to problems with their pool. They added:
“We have replaced all parts of our pool system that have to do with water flow and leakage in addition to converting to synthetic grass and drought tolerant plants to reduce our water usage. We will continue to work with the city and the water distribution company to make sure this isn't an issue moving forward.”
Stallone’s attorney Marty Singer claimed that the actor’s property has “more than 500 mature trees” which require adequate water supply. He claimed that the family is awaiting an inspection by the city to obtain guidance on how to take care of the greenery at their property.
The Kardashians have not issued a statement at the time of writing.
