A. Restricted Hours For Nonessential Outside Water Uses To Prevent Excessive, Wasteful Use: Commencing on May 15 of each year and extending through the following September 15 of each year, lawn sprinkling shall not occur on consecutive days, nor shall water from the Village water distribution system be used on any day between the hours of eleven o'clock (11:00) A.M. and five o'clock (5:00) P.M. (local time) when evaporation is at its highest for the purpose of watering or sprinkling of gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs and other outdoor plants; except, that such restrictions shall not prohibit the watering of newly planted gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs and plants by means of handheld watering devices designed and intended for such purpose and only when such device is actually being operated by hand. New lawns (less than 3 months old) may be exempted from this provision. In addition, new/replacement sprinkler systems shall be equipped with a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller and shall be in compliance with section 2.5(g) of the Illinois Plumbing License Law.
B. Emergency Water Conservation:
1. Authority To Proclaim Emergency: Whenever the water supply of the Village is diminished from any cause whatever to an amount which in the opinion of the Village Administrator or their designee is or is likely to become dangerous to the health and safety of the public, the Village Administrator or their designee is hereby authorized and empowered to issue a proclamation in the form of a public notice containing regulations on the use of water from the Village water distribution system. Such regulations may provide for the limited usage of water, limitations on days and hours of use for some or all purposes and the prohibition of specified uses. Upon issuing said proclamation, the Village Administrator or their designee shall make the contents thereof known to the public by news release to the local newspapers and radio media and may also notify the citizens in any other practical manner that he shall devise. Further, the Village Administrator or their designee shall immediately notify all members of the Village Board of the nature of the emergency and the regulations that have been imposed.
2. Effect Of Proclamation: The emergency proclamation of the Village Administrator or their designee and the regulations imposed thereby shall remain in full force and effect until any one of the following shall occur:
a. The Village Administrator or their designee determines that the emergency proclamation and the regulations imposed thereby are no longer necessary because the emergency proclaimed has ended.
b. The Village Board, by official action, modifies or repeals the emergency proclamation and the regulations imposed thereby or takes such other or further action as it in its discretion deems necessary and advisable.
c. The first regular meeting of the Village Board occurring more than thirty (30) days after the emergency proclamation.
3. Notice Of Emergency: Any Village employee or officer may, at the direction of the Village Administrator or their designee, notify or warn any person of the effect of said emergency proclamation and direct said person to comply with the watering or sprinkling restrictions imposed as herein provided. If any such person, after having first been notified and warned about said emergency proclamation and such restrictions, shall continue to violate said proclamation and restrictions, they shall be deemed to be in violation of this section and they shall be liable for the penalties provided for in section 1-4-1 of this Code. (1976 Code §20-127)
C. Violation: Any person charged with a violation of this section may, in lieu of prosecution for a violation hereof, make payment in accordance with section 1-4-2 of this Code. (1991 Code; amd. Ord. 2006-43, 8-3-2006; Ord. 2017-51, 9-21-2017; Ord. 2022-53, 9-1-2022)