(A) Nonresidential customers include commercial, industrial, institutional, public and all other users, with the exception of hospitals and health care facilities.
(B) Nonresidential water customers shall reduce their water usage by a minimum of 25% of use levels for the same quarter of the preceding year.
(C) It is the primary responsibility of each nonresidential water customer to meet its mandated water use, reduction goal in whatever manner possible.
(D) The authority will establish a water allotment for each nonresidential water customer, based upon a required 25% reduction of water usage from the rate of water used by the customer in the same quarter of the preceding year or the last recorded use level if no meter readings record the rate of the customer’s use in the same quarter of the preceding year.
(E) Each nonresidential water user shall provide access to authority personnel for purposes of meter reading and monitoring of compliance with this plan. The authority shall make all reasonable efforts to contact customers to arrange for access.
(F) If the mandated 25% reduction in water usage cannot be obtained without imposing extraordinary hardship threatening health and safety, the nonresidential customer may apply to the township municipal authority for a variance. For these purposes, EXTRAORDINARY HARDSHIP means a permanent damage to property or economic loss which is substantially more severe than the sacrifices borne by other water users subject to this water rationing plan. If the authority finds that the 25% reduction would cause extraordinary hardship or threaten health or safety, the authority may grant a variance and establish a revised water use reduction requirement for the particular customer.
(G) Any person aggrieved by a decision relating to such a variance rendered by the authority may appeal the decision to the Commonwealth Drought Coordinator who shall render a final decision.
(H) The township municipal authority will supply each nonresidential customer with suggested means to reduce usage levels. These suggestions may include:
(1) Identify and repair all leaky fixtures and water-using equipment. Special attention is to be given to equipment connected directly to the water line, such as processing machines, steam-using machines, washing machines, water-cooled air conditioners and furnaces;
(2) Assure that the valves and solenoids, which control water flows, are shut off completely when the water-using cycle is not engaged;
(3) Adjust water-using equipment to use the minimum amount of water required to achieve its stated purpose;
(4) Shorten rinse cycles for laundry machines as much as possible; lower water levels should be implemented wherever possible;
(5) Temperature settings of hot water for showers should be set down at least ten degrees to discourage lengthy shower taking;
(6) Where plumbing fixtures can accommodate them, flow restricting or other water-saving devices should be installed;
(7) Review usage patterns to see where other savings can be made;
(8) For processing and cooling and other uses where possible, either reuse water or use from sources that would not adversely affect public water supplies;
(9) Advise employees, students, patients, customers and other users, not to flush toilets after every use. Install toilet tank displacement inserts; place flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets; close down automatic flushes overnight;
(10) Adjust flushometers and automatic flushing valves to use as little water as possible or to cycle at greater intervals;
(11) Encourage water-consciousness by placing water-saving posters and literature where employees, students, patients and customers and the like, will have access to them; and
(12) Customers should read water meters on a frequent basis to determine consumption patterns.
(Ord. 620, passed 10-26-1998)