Posted: July 11th, 2010 - 3:05pm by Doug Powell

I’m not familiar with the practice, but apparently when crews shut off the city's irrigation lines in the fall in Saratoga Springs, Utah, some residents tap into culinary pipes, getting water for outdoor use.

Deseret News reports that the city imposed the fine for cross-connecting culinary and irrigation lines after a Campylobacter outbreak sickened dozens of residents earlier this summer. Cross-connecting can contaminate culinary water and may have caused the outbreak.

Mayor Mia Love said anyone caught cross-connecting with a previous warning will be fined $10,000, adding, "It certainly sends a message saying we're very serious about keeping the water clean. We're not taking it lightly."