I don't know what water leaves are, but when I trim, I pull all the fan leaves I can before I chop. I just pull em straight down.
After all, or most, of the fan leaves are off I chop, and then get busy with the scissors and trim everything up and hang for 3 or 4 days and then cut the nugs off and into a paper bag for a week, then into jars. I used to hang for a week, but I dont like to leave my shit exposed any longer than I have to, and it cuts down on the reekafication factor.