§ 53.08 TRIGGERING CRITERIA FOR INITIATION AND TERMINATION OF DROUGHT.
   (A)   Response stages.
      (1)   The Mayor or his or her designee shall monitor water supply and/or demand conditions on a daily basis and shall determine when conditions warrant initiation or termination of each stage of the Plan. Public notification of the initiation or termination of drought response stages shall be by means of a publication in the newspaper of general circulation, notification to local radio/TV stations and written faxes to industrial and outside city water users.
      (2)   The triggering criteria described below are based on the drought of record of this area from 1950 to 1957. The city obtains water from wells in the Trinity Aquifer.
      (3)   The city’s Plan is based on the adequacy and reliability of the water production and distribution facilities under drought conditions. Capacity and equipment problems could temporarily impact the city’s water production and delivery system. Given the groundwater resources available in the county there is a possibility that the water supply will not be adequate to meet the city’s water needs to the 2050 planning period required by Senate Bill 1.
   (B)   Stage 1 - mild water shortage conditions.
      (1)   Requirements for initiation. Customers shall be requested to voluntarily conserve water and adhere to the prescribed restrictions on certain water uses, defined in § 53.07, when total daily water demand equals or exceeds 80% or 0.5069 million gallons per day for five consecutive days based on the “safe” operating capacity of water supply facilities.
      (2)   Requirements for termination. Stage 1 of the Plan may be rescinded when all of the conditions listed as triggering events have ceased to exist for a period of three consecutive days.
   (C)   Stage 2 - moderate water shortage conditions.
      (1)   Requirements for initiation. Customers shall be required to comply with the requirements and restrictions on certain non-essential water uses provided in § 53.07 of this chapter when water demands equal or exceed 90%, or 0.5702 million gallons per day for three consecutive days based on the safe operating capacity of the facilities.
      (2)   Requirements for termination. Stage 2 of the Plan may be rescinded when all of the conditions listed as triggering events have ceased to exist for a period of three consecutive days. Upon termination of Stage 2, Stage 1 becomes operative.
(Ord. 11-00, passed 11-6-2000)