A. Authority To Declare Water Conservation Warning: The mayor, or person appointed to act in the mayor's stead, or in the absence of the mayor or any person acting in his stead, the city water superintendent and/or his designee, shall have authority to declare a water conservation warning if for any cause the water supply to the city has become depleted so that, in their judgment, conservation measures are needed to protect the public water supply.
B. Notice Of Water Shortage; Restrictions: Upon declaring a water conservation warning, it shall be the duty of the mayor, or the person acting in his stead, or city water superintendent and/or his designee, to immediately give public notice of said water shortage and to impose any of the following water use restrictions. During the course of the water shortage, the mayor or water superintendent shall have the authority to impose any lesser or greater restriction allowed by this section upon public notice in the news media. The public notice will include a description of provisions in effect. If stages 3 through 5 are imposed, the city council will consider the action at the next meeting at which the matter can be considered, and the city council may continue the stage in effect, continue it with changes or discontinue the stage.
The stages of restrictions which may be imposed pursuant to this chapter are as follows:
1. Stage 1: A request for voluntary water conservation will be made through the news media. People will be urged to conserve water in every way possible in their homes and businesses. Major users shall be requested to review means by which they can reduce water usage during the emergency.
2. Stage 2: Includes stage 1 restrictions and the following:
a. The use of open ended hoses, sprinklers or tube sprinkler hoses for lawn and garden irrigation is banned, except for new sod or newly constructed turf areas installed before the ban inception.
b. Only buckets, sprinkler cans or drip irrigation methods are allowed to water trees, shrubs, outside flowers and gardens.
c. Commercial establishments holding or growing plant materials for resale may only use a handheld hose, drip, tube or recycling irrigation system to water. All irrigation is restricted to the hours of six o'clock (6:00) P.M. until six o'clock (6:00) A.M.
d. The operation of all water demanding amenities such as ornamental fountains, waterfalls or reflecting pools is banned.
e. The use of water for cleaning exterior walls of buildings, windows, sidewalks, driveways, etc., except where necessary for sanitation or safety reasons, is banned.
f. Water usage for swimming and wading pools, private and public, is limited to the amount needed to compensate for evaporation or spillage.
g. The use of water for washing vehicles, motor or nonmotor, is banned, except these restrictions would not apply to high pressure commercial washing establishments or to places of business where autos are washed regularly by attendants with automatic equipment or by self-service.
3. Stage 3: Includes restrictions in stages 1 and 2 and, additionally, the following:
a. Commercial car washing and car washing at places of business where autos are washed regularly would be prohibited, except on even calendar days for no more than ten (10) hours per day.
b. No water shall be withdrawn from Lake Taylorville 1 for lawns, gardens, irrigation or golf courses.
4. Stage 4: Includes restrictions in stages 1, 2 and 3 and, additionally, the following:
Ban the sale of bulk water except for livestock and human consumption and health uses.
5. Stage 5: Includes restrictions in stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 and, additionally, the following:
Would additionally prohibit all uses of water, except for human consumption and health uses.
C. Effect Of Water Shortage Restrictions: It is the policy of the city to keep stages 3, 4 and 5 in effect for no longer than absolutely necessary. The water superintendent and city council shall take steps to lift these restrictions as soon as they believe the water supply adequate to meet the demand.
D. Reports And Review Of Rationing: The water superintendent will make reports to the city council at least once a week while water conservation is in effect. The city council will review the reports and consider any changes that may be desirable in the regulations set out in this section.
E. Responsibility For Violations: No person shall be convicted of violating this Section unless such person, in fact, turned on water, directed the turning on of water or kept water turned on after learning it was turned on in violation hereof or failed to turn off automatic devices capable of turning on water in violation hereof. It will not be necessary, however, to present a witness who saw the accused turning on the water, if the circumstances indicated the accused did turn on the water.
F. Explanations: The Water Superintendent may, from time to time, send, along with monthly water bills, an explanation of the regulations set out in this Section when in effect.
G. Penalties: See Section 8-4-18 of this Chapter for penalty provisions. (Ord. 3503, 1-18-2011)
Notes
| 1 | 1. See title 7 of this code. |