(a) The City hereby finds that excessive irrigation in the Lodgepole Valley and Sidney Draw west and north of Sidney periodically results in a shortage of water available for recharge of City wells; that such shortage jeopardizes the health and welfare of all citizens of the City; that shortages may threaten domestic use resources and will cause a potentially hazardous condition to exist for fire control. The purpose of this section is to restrict the use of water resources in times of emergency to minimize the impact of such a shortage and conserve available water to protect essential services.
(b) Except when under the emergency restrictions as set out in subsection (b)(3) below, during the irrigation season of April 1 to October l of each year, the irrigation or watering of lawns and/or gardens within the City corporate limits is restricted to twice a week but without any hour restrictions on permitted days as follows:
(1) Except as set out in subsection (c) below, watering or irrigation of lawns and/or gardens within the area bounded by the Union Pacific Railroad on the north and Summit Drive on the south and West of 11th Avenue from Summit Drive to where 11th Avenue intersects the Burlington Northern Railroad and north of the Burlington Northern Railroad from 11th and Osage to where the Burlington Northern Railroad intersects the Union Pacific Railroad is permitted on Tuesday and Saturday of each week but no person will water lawns and/or gardens in the described area on any other days of the week.
(2) Except as set out in subsection (c) below, watering or irrigation of lawns and/or gardens in all other locations within the City but not within the boundaries above-described in subsection (a) which includes properties North of the Union Pacific Railroad, South of Summit Drive or East of the above-described boundaries is permitted on Sunday and Wednesday of each week but no person will water lawns and/or gardens on said properties on any other days of the week.
(3) All property of the City of Sidney will be watered on Monday and Thursday of each week except that the watering of greens and tee areas on Hillside Golf Course is permitted on a daily basis.
(c) Under emergency conditions in which a City water well reaches critical low levels which is defined as a draw-down level of ten (10) feet or less of water remaining in at least one City well, lawn and/or garden watering and irrigation is restricted immediately. In that event, lawn watering is restricted to once a week for restricted hours on a zone schedule designated by the City Manager. The City Manager, or in his or her absence the Mayor, on the notification of the Water Superintendent, will issue notification of watering restrictions specifying zone designation and restricted hours permitted for watering/irrigation to all private citizens and businesses of the City, via the Police Division, to the Cable Television Emergency Broadcast System and KSID Radio Station. The City Manager may, in case of emergency, also restrict water usage in any other manner deemed necessary for the protection and conservation of water on a temporary basis. The City Manager will present any such additional emergency restrictions to the Council at the next regular or a special meeting in Ordinance form, for consideration by Council. Additional watering of new lawns, treated lawns and golf course may be permitted by the City Manager to avoid damage to such areas.
(Ord. 1175. Passed 4-24-90; Ord. 1494. Passed 8-13-02; Ord. 1495. Passed 8-27-02; Ord. 1508. Passed 3-25-03.)