Five levels of water shortage response are outlined in the table below. The five levels of water shortage response are: voluntary reductions, mandatory reductions I and II, emergency reductions and water rationing. A detailed description of each response level and corresponding water reduction measures follow below.
Stage | Response | Description |
1 | Voluntary reductions | Water users are encouraged to reduce their water use and improve water use efficiency; however, no penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions indicate a potential for shortage. |
2 | Mandatory reductions I | Water users must abide required water use reduction and efficiency measures; penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions are significantly lower than the seasonal norm and water shortage conditions are expected to persist. |
3 | Mandatory reductions II | Same as in Stage 2. |
4 | Emergency reductions | Water supply conditions are substantially diminished and pose an imminent threat to human health or environmental integrity. |
5 | Water rationing | Water supply conditions are substantially diminished and remaining supplies must be allocated to preserve human health and environmental integrity. |
(A) Stage 1, voluntary reductions. All water users will be asked to reduce their normal water use by 5%. Customer education and outreach programs will encourage water conservation and efficiency measures including: irrigating landscapes a maximum of one inch per week; preventing water waste, runoff and watering impervious surfaces; watering plants deeply to encourage root growth; washing only full loads in clothes and dishwashers; using spring-loaded nozzles on garden hoses; and identifying and repairing all water leaks.
(B) Stage 2, mandatory reductions I. All customers are expected to reduce their water use by 10% in comparison to their previous month’s water bill. In addition to continuing to encourage all voluntary reduction actions, the following restrictions apply: irrigation is limited to a one-half inch per week between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.; outdoor use of drinking water for washing impervious surfaces is prohibited; and all testing and training purposes requiring drinking water (e.g., fire protection) will be limited.
(C) Stage 3, mandatory reductions II. Customers must continue actions from all previous stages and further reduce water use by 20% compared to their previous month’s water bill. All non-essential uses of drinking water are banned and garden and landscape irrigation must be reduced to the minimum amount necessary for survival. Additionally, in Stage 3, a drought surcharge of 1.5 times the normal water rate applies.
(D) Stage 4, emergency reductions. Customers must continue all actions from previous stages and further reduce their water use by 25% compared to their previous month’s water bill. A ban on all use of drinking water except to protect public health and safety is implemented and drought surcharges increase to two times the normal water rate.
(E) Stage 5, water rationing. Is to provide drinking water to protect public health (e.g., residences, residential health care facilities and correctional facilities). In Stage 5, all customers are only permitted to use water at the minimum required for public health protection. Firefighting is the only allowable outdoor water use and pickup locations for distributing potable water will be announced according to the city’s emergency response plan. Drought surcharges increase to five times the normal water rate.
(Ord. 11-18, passed 10-25-2011; Ord. 18-23, passed 11-18-2018; Ord. 23-20, passed 8-29-2023)