The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Administrative variance means a written exemption prior to the commission of a violation granted by the County Manager to a customer when a water shortage declaration as defined by this division is issued by the Board of Commissioners.
Customer means any person, government, or entity using water directly or indirectly for any purpose from the County Department of Public Utilities water supply system, and for which a regular charge is made.
JCDPU means the Johnston County Department of Public Utilities acting through the Utilities Director or the County Manager.
Penalty(ies) means a monetary assessment charged to the customer's water bill after first receiving a written warning that a violation as defined in this division has been committed or the time-limited period of an acquired permit or administrative variance has expired.
Waste of water means, but is not limited to, the failure to repair a controllable leak of water due to defective plumbing or deliberate nonessential use of water.
Water means water available to JCDPU for treatment and supply or any source of purchased water introduced by JCDPU into its transmission facilities.
Water restriction(s) means a declared deviation from unlimited demand on the available water supply as established in this division and imposed from time to time by the Board of Commissioners through administrative policy adoption or public notice that is subject to enforcement and/or permitting by the Director of JCDPU.
Water shortage advisory means the conditions exist which indicate the potential for water supply shortages:
(1) The raw water supply (streamflow) is consistently below seasonal averages. If the raw water supply continues to decline, the supply may not be adequate to meet normal needs; or
(2) Due to mechanical failure or capacity limitations of water treatment and/or pumping facilities, adequate water supplies cannot be maintained and the conditions may be sufficient to cause a water shortage; or
(3) Due to circumstance outside the control of the County, purchased bulk water supply(ies) are reduced for curtailed possibly resulting in a water shortage.
Water shortage alert means conditions exist which, if continued, will result in insufficient supply of water:
(1) The raw water supply is below the level necessary to meet normal needs; or
(2) Due to mechanical failure or capacity limitations of water treatment and/or pumping facilities, a water shortage is subject to occur; or
(3) Due to reduction or curtailment of purchased bulk supply(ies), a water shortage is subject to occur.
Water shortage emergency means available water supply is insufficient to meet normal water usage demand:
(1) The raw water supply is below the level necessary to meet normal needs and serious water shortages exist; or
(2) Due to mechanical failure or capacity limitations of water treatment and/or pumping facilities, a water shortage exists; or
(3) Due to reduction or curtailment of purchased supply(ies), a water shortage exists.
Water use class means and shall be established as follows:
(1) Class 1, essential water uses.
•Domestic use: Water necessary to sustain human life and animal life, and to maintain minimum standards of hygiene and sanitation.
•Health care use: Patient care and rehabilitation.
•Public use: Firefighting, health, safety, and public protection purposes; and water necessary to satisfy federal, state, and local health, safety, and environmental protection requirements.
(2) Class 2, socially or economically important uses of water.
•Domestic use: All uses other than those included in Class 1 and Class 3. Residential water use including kitchen, bathroom, and laundry use.
•Outdoor noncommercial watering (public or private):
•Industrial water use including water for product manufacturing, environmental control, and domestic needs of employees and personnel.
•Agricultural irrigation for the production of food, fiber, and fuel or maintenance of livestock.
•Watering by commercial nurseries at a minimum level necessary to maintain stock, to the extent that sources other than JCDPU are not available or feasible to use.
•Watering of golf course greens and tees.
•Uses of water at a minimum rate necessary to implement revegetation following earthmoving, where such vegetation is required by an erosion and sedimentation control plan adopted pursuant to law or regulation to the extent that sources of water other than JCDPU are not available or feasible to use.
•Water use by public gardens of national, state, or regional significance where necessary to preserve specimens, to the extent sources other than JCDPU are not available or feasible to use.
•Operating and filling of swimming pools:
•Municipal pools and private pools.
•Health care facility pools used for patient care and rehabilitation.
•Washing of motor vehicles:
•Commercial impervious surface washing.
•Commercial car and truck washes, unrestricted hours of operation.
•Commercial Laundromats:
•Unrestricted hours of operation.
•Restaurants, clubs, and eating establishments:
•Unrestricted hours of operation.
•Common uses:
•Unrestricted hours of operation.
•Institutional uses:
•Unrestricted hours of operation.
(3) Class 3, nonessential uses of water.
•Ornamental purposes: Fountains, reflecting pools, and artificial waterfalls.
•Outdoor noncommercial watering, private impervious surface washing, watering, or irrigation: gardens, lawns, golf courses, parks, playing fields, and other recreational areas.
- EXCEPTIONS:
º Agricultural irrigation for the production of food, feed, fiber, or fuel and the maintenance of livestock.
º Water used by commercial nurseries at a minimum level necessary to maintain stock to the extent other sources of water (other than JCDPU) are not available or feasible to use.
º Water used by golf courses at a minimum level as necessary to maintain tees and greens to the extent other sources of water (other than JCDPU) are not available or feasible to use.
º Use of JCDPU water at a minimum rate necessary to implement revegetation following earthmoving, where such vegetation is required pursuant to an erosion and sedimentation control plan adopted pursuant to law or regulation (to the extent that sources of water other than JCDPU are not available or feasible to use).
º Water used by public gardens of national, state, or regional significance where necessary to preserve specimens, to the extent sources other than JCDPU are not available or feasible to use.
•Operating and filling of public swimming pools:
- EXCEPTIONS: Health care facility pools used for patient care and rehabilitation and municipal pools.
•Washing of motor vehicles: Automobiles, trucks, boats and trailers.
- EXCEPTIONS: Commercial car and truck washes.
•Serving water in restaurants, clubs, or eating establishments:
- EXCEPTIONS: Specific requests by customers.
•Fire hydrants: Any purpose including the use of sprinkler system tests, testing of fire equipment, and fire department drills.
- EXCEPTIONS: Firefighting.
•Health protection purposes if specifically approved by the health officials of the county.
•Testing and drills by fire departments, if in the interest of imminent public safety and approved by JCDPU.
•Hydrant and sanitary sewer flushing:
- EXCEPTIONS: As needed to ensure public safety and health with the approval of JCDPU.
(Amend. of 3-3-2008(2); Amend. of 4-5-2010)
Cross reference—Definitions generally, § 1-2.