Three East Bay households this month became the first in the Bay Area to face fines for using too much water during the drought, a group that will probably swell to hundreds as bills with a novel “excessive use” charge continue to go out. The penalties, which are as high as about $120 over a two-month period, come as the East Bay Municipal Utility District launches one of the most aggressive — and punitive — conservation policies in the region in an effort to protect its water supplies. The policy sets a relatively high limit … of about 1,646 gallons per day over the billing cycle. … Under the policy, penalties are assessed, and the names of violators are made public, only after a warning is sent out and a 15-day appeal period has lapsed.

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