On Aug. 23, the town slapped Enterprise Rent-A-Car with a $500 fine for washing their rental cars, which was a violation of water restrictions. In all, town police handed out 12 violations.
"Ignorance to the law is no defense, but then the way we look at it, we put notices in the bills that there were water restrictions and told people to call Town Hall or to look at Channel 10 Public Access," Deputy Town Manager Roe O'Donnell said.
"The people who are protesting it have a right to protest it, but the town made the rule. It was published. Everybody knows we're in a drought situation," homeowner Denise Monko said.
Wake Forest's 12 water fines are high, compared to three in Raleigh and two in Durham. O'Donnell said the town is tough on water violators, and it could get even tougher.
"If Raleigh were to go with one-day-a-week water restrictions, we would probably ban watering with an automatic sprinkler system altogether and go with just hand-watering," he said.
At least five homeowners and one business plan to address the board Tuesday to appeal their $500 fines.
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