(A) Stage 1 - Mild Drought Conditions.
(1) Requirement for initiation. Customers shall be requested to voluntarily conserve water and adhere to the prescribed restrictions on certain water uses for Stage 1 of this plan when, the Mayor advises that mild drought conditions exist and requests that the town initiate the appropriate stage of the Drought Contingency Plan.
(2) Drought responses.
(a) Goal. Achieve a voluntary 10% reduction in daily water demand.
(b) Voluntary water use restrictions.
1. Customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas. Mondays/Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours 12:01 a.m. to 12:01 p.m. and/or 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on designated watering days.
2. Use of water for the irrigation of medians, rights-of-way, and common areas maintained by home owners associations, management groups or the town is prohibited except on Wednesdays and Saturdays between hours 12:01 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and/or 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on designated watering days.
3. All operations of the town shall adhere to water use restrictions prescribed for in Stage 2 of this plan.
4. The town wholesale customers are notified of the start of drought condition operations, so they may implement their own individual Retail Water Supplier Drought Contingency Plan.
5. Water customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.
(3) Requirements for termination. Stage 1 of this plan may be rescinded when notification is received from the Mayor, that triggering conditions for stage 1 have ceased.
(B) Stage 2 - Moderate Drought Conditions.
(1) Requirement for initiation. Customers shall be required to comply with the requirements and restrictions on certain non-essential water uses for Stage 2 of this plan when, notification is received from the Mayor that moderate drought conditions exist and requests that the town initiate the appropriate stage of the Drought Contingency Plan.
(2) Drought responses.
(a) Goal. Achieve a 20% reduction in daily water demand.
(b) Supply management measures. Discontinue flushing water mains, reduce irrigation of public landscaped areas, limit construction line filling and blowing off for disinfecting purposes.
(c) Water use restrictions. Under threat of penalty for violation, the following water use shall apply to all customers.
1. Irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation shall be limited to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only, between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight on designated water days; however, irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at anytime if it is by means of hand-held hose, a faucet filled bucket or watering can of five gallons or less, or drip irrigation system.
2. Use of water to wash motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Such washing when allowed shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station. Further, such washing may be exempted from these regulations if the health, safety and welfare of the public are contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.
3. Use of water to fill, refill or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools or Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
4. Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited, except when necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.
5. Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to firefighting, related activities or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare. Water for construction purposes from designated fire hydrants, may be used by obtaining special permit issued by the Mayor and/or the town.
6. Use of water for the irrigation of medians, rights-of-way and common areas maintained by home owner’s associations, management groups or the town is prohibited except on Sundays between hours 12:01 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
7. Wholesale customers will be advised to continue all relevant actions from previous stages including appropriate public water use restrictions and to implement the next stage of their own individual Retail Water Supplier Drought Contingency Plan.
8. The Mayor shall establish pro rata allocations on all wholesale customers by reducing water available at each delivery point by a uniform percentage based on the current annual maximum demand for each entity. If a water user’s billing history is less than one year, the average for the period for which there is a record shall be used. Once pro rata allocations are in effect, water deliveries to each water user shall be limited to the allocation. The Mayor and/or the town shall provide notice by certified mail to each affected water user informing him or her of his or her individual maximum water usage allocation and shall notify the news media and the Executive Director of the State Natural Resource Conservation Commission upon initiation of pro rata water allocation.
9. All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to its patrons except when requested.
10. The following uses of water are defined as non-essential and are prohibited:
a. Wash down of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts or other hard-surfaced areas;
b. Use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
c. Use of water for dust control;
d. Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street; and
e. Failures to repair controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period, as determined by the Mayor and/or Town Council.
(3) Requirements for termination. Stage 2 of this plan may be rescinded when notification is received from the Mayor, that triggering conditions for Stage 2 have ceased. Upon termination of Stage 2, Stage 1 becomes operative.
(C) Stage 3 - Severe Drought Conditions.
(1) Requirement for initiation. Customers shall be required to comply with the requirements and restrictions on certain non-essential water uses for Stage 3 of this plan when, notification is received from the Mayor that severe drought conditions exist and requests that the town initiate the appropriate stage of the Drought Contingency Plan.
(2) Drought responses.
(a) Goal. Achieve a 30% reduction in daily water demand.
(b) Supply management measures. Discontinue flushing water mains, prohibit irrigation of public landscaped areas, prohibit construction line filling and blowing off for disinfecting purposes.
(c) Water use restrictions. All requirements of Stage 2 shall remain in effect during Stage 3, except:
1. Irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to a designated watering day Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for residential and commercial customers. By means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, drip irrigation or permanently installed automatic sprinkler system only. The use of hose-end sprinklers is prohibited at all times.
2. The use of water for construction purposes from designated fire hydrants under special permit is discontinued.
3. Wholesale customers will be advised to continue all relevant actions from previous stages including appropriate public water use restrictions and to implement the next stage of their own individual Retail Water Supplier Drought Contingency Plan.
(3) Requirements for termination. Stage 3 of this plan may be rescinded when notification is received from the Mayor, that triggering conditions for stage 3 have ceased. Upon termination of Stage 3, Stage 2 becomes operative.
(Ord. 2000-09, passed 9-18-2000)