(A) Determination of emergency. The City Administrator, after consultation with the city staff, and if reasonably possible, a representative from the North Texas Municipal Water District, may, based upon the criteria listed in this subchapter, determine that conditions of a water emergency exist. Upon that determination, the City Administrator shall advise the Mayor. The Mayor shall, based upon the criteria specified in § 51.77 of this code, specify the appropriate stage of emergency that exists and may order that the measures authorized under § 51.77 be implemented.
(B) General emergency.
(1) To initiate effective general emergency implementation of the Plan in the event of a general emergency, the order must be:
(a) Made by public announcement; and
(b) Published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city within 24 hours after the public announcement.
(2) The order becomes effective immediately upon publication.
(C) Geographical emergency or demand restrictions. Geographical emergencies may include an area served by the city resulting in a demand for water which lessens the overall pressure and supply of water to either an unacceptable or dangerous level. Upon the recommendation from city staff, the Mayor may determine that the supply to a geographical area may specifically be restricted, including the regulation of specific water usage. Notwithstanding any other provision in this subchapter, a water customer whose use is determined by the Mayor to be high enough to create a negative impact on other customers in the geographic area shall be ordered to reduce consumption immediately. Any water customers affected by the order shall be provided written instructions as to what the emergency restrictions shall be upon their use of water until the emergency is abated. Failure to immediately follow the written instructions of the city is a violation of this subchapter, in accordance with this section. The restrictions for a geographic emergency may be directed to an individual water customer, a homeowners association, a developer, and any other customer or user of water provided by the city.
(D) Mayor’s absence. The Mayor may appoint the Mayor Pro Tem or the City Administrator to take action in the event of the Mayor’s absence.
(E) Supplemental notification. Any number of supplemental public notifications may also be utilized after an emergency is declared, including notices posted at City Hall, the fire station, and publicized by direct mail, television, radio, and other news media.
(F) Termination. All implemented actions remain in effect until the condition(s) which triggered activation of those actions have been alleviated or until the Mayor determines that the conditions triggering the emergency no longer exist and advises the City Administrator. The Mayor may then order the termination of emergency measures. The public will be informed of the termination in the same manner as provided above in divisions (B) and (C).
(Ord. 439, passed 7-14-1998; Am. Ord. 523, passed 8-13-2002) Penalty, see § 51.99