(a) Authority of the City Manager. When, for any reason, the supply of water from the City's water utility is inadequate to meet the demand or projected demand for water, including the maintenance of necessary water reserves and projected reserves necessary for fire suppression activities, as determined by the Fire & EMS Chief, the City Manager may declare, by administrative directive, that the use of water by all users of the City's water utility, for purposes not essential to the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City, is prohibited or restricted during specified hours and/or days, or for a specified time period, or for a continuing time period until notice is given that such uses are no longer prohibited and/or restricted. Water uses not essential to the health, safety and welfare include, but are not limited to, the watering of lawns and gardens, vehicle washing, manufacturing facilities, cooling facilities, commercial laundries, and commercial vehicle washing facilities. Restrictions shall be placed on any or all nonessential water uses consistent with the severity of the situation, as determined by the City Manager.
(b) Notice. Any prohibitions and/or restrictions declared by the City Manager in accordance with division (a) of this section shall be published on the City's website, any official City social media accounts, and shall be provided to appropriate television and radio stations. Such publication shall constitute official notice to all users of City water. The prohibitions and/or restrictions on water usage shall remain in full force and effect until the prohibitions and/or restrictions are declared lifted by the City Manager. Notice of the lifting of restrictions shall be done by the same methods as notice of their imposition.
(c) Prohibitions. No person, business, industry, or other user of the City's water utility, including extraterritorial customers, shall use water in violation of the prohibitions and/or restrictions established by the City Manager in accordance with this section. Twenty-four (24) hours after notice has been given in accordance with division (b) of this section, the City may terminate water service to any person using water in violation of the published prohibitions and/or restrictions. Such termination may continue until the use is no longer prohibited and/or restricted. The City, including its agents and employees, shall not be liable or responsible for any damage resulting from the termination of water service, nor for any damage due to prohibitions and/or restrictions placed on water usage by the City Manager.
(Ord. 88-81. Adopted 08/11/88; Ord. 2023-38. Adopted 12/28/23; Em. Ord. 2024-01. Adopted 02/08/24; Ord. 2024-02. Adopted 02/22/24)