The city council of the City of Fort Worth makes the following findings:
(a) Due to limited quantity and low quality, there are areas of shallow groundwater within the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction that are not valuable as potable water sources, and therefore are not utilized for potable water;
(b) Many commercial and industrial properties in Fort Worth and its extraterritorial jurisdiction are underlain with unusable groundwater that has become contaminated by historical on-site or off-site sources;
(c) The City of Fort Worth does not utilize groundwater as a source for public drinking water, and less than 6% of all municipal water supplies in Tarrant County come from groundwater sources;
(d) The use of municipal setting designations within Fort Worth and its extraterritorial jurisdiction allows for a state-evaluated corrective action process for groundwater that is directed toward protection of human health and the environment balanced with the economic welfare of the citizens of the city;
(e) Where public drinking water is available, the potable use of groundwater in designated areas should be prohibited to protect public health and welfare when the quality of the groundwater presents an actual or potential threat to human health; and
(f) People should have a say in decisions which affect their lives and property, and public input should influence governmental decisions.
(Ord. 16259, § 2, passed 1-11-2005)