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SACRAMENTO-

Local restaurant owner Daniel Flores says the city fined him for flooding his own parking area, which was caused by the pressure washer used to clean his patio.

Every six weeks, Flores cleans the patio of Taqueria Jalisco on 16th and D streets but this last time, the city slapped him with a $50 fine for “flooding the parked area.”

UPDATE: City Calls Restaurant Owner to Apologize, Erases Citation

“I’m being ticketed for wasting water. I am not wasting water, I’m cleaning the patio, actually” Flores told FOX40.

California health and safety code  mandates that restaurants must be kept clean, but nowhere does it state a pressure washer must be used. Although, a county health dept spokesperson told FOX40 it makes cleaning a lot easier.

Dave Brent, the city’s Director of Utilities, tells FOX40 that even though pressure washing is prohibited in the State of California right now, there are exceptions.

“To wash away bird droppings, things that might cause a health hazard,” Brent said. “That can be allowed, it depends on he situation.”

What it depends on, Brent admits, is gray.

Brent told FOX40 the city is committed to meeting with Flores to come to some sort of resolution.