(A) Whenever the City Council of the city finds that treated water supplies have been so depleted with no reasonable expectation for replenishing such treated water supplies that preservation of water for essential water use (Class 1) is essential and necessary for the public health, safety and welfare through the measure of rationing of treated water supplies, the City Council shall be empowered to declare by proper local government action that a water shortage critical emergency exists. Essential uses (Class 1) shall be specifically identified as uses for which rationing is required and shall specifically identify any other uses for which voluntary conservation initiatives are still in effect. All other uses contained within the essential uses classification, all socially or economically important uses (Class 2) and all non-essential uses (Class 3) shall be totally banned or hours of water use regulated. These restrictions shall be considered continuing until the critical emergency is declared ended by the city. Publication or notice of the local government action declaring a water shortage critical emergency shall follow the procedures set forth in § 53.18, but any such declaration shall become immediately effective upon passage of such declaration by the City Council.
(B) In the event the City Council of the city determines that a water shortage critical emergency exists, thereby imposing rationing of treated water supply, the City Council shall be and is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt or enact as an emergency ordinance rationing levels for all customers of water in the city through its distribution of water system. In any such emergency ordinance in determining rationing levels, the city shall take into account equitable distribution of critically limited water supplies and balance demand with the limited availability of treated water and take all steps necessary to reasonably assure that sufficient water is available to preserve public health, safety and welfare.
(Ord. O-17-88, passed 7-26-88)