§ 22-20. Waste of water and water emergencies.

(a)

Generally.

(1)

No person shall knowingly permit defective plumbing that causes a waste of water to remain unrepaired where such plumbing is either owned by them or under their control.

(2)

No person shall knowingly permit water to be needlessly wasted where the use of water obviously serves no useful purpose, specifically including, but not limited to, the use of water to create outdoor ice sculpture or forms during periods of freezing temperatures.

(3)

No person or entity, public or private, commercial or noncommercial shall water lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, gardens or other vegetation where water flows into or on any street, sidewalk, roadway or driveway.

(b)

Declaration of water emergency. The mayor shall have the authority to declare a water emergency when the water distribution pressure of any of the city water plants falls below forty (40) pounds per square inch for a period in excess of one (1) hour. The mayor shall call an end to the water emergency when the water pressure shall have reached forty-one (41) pounds per square inch and been maintained at that pressure in excess of twenty-four (24) hours.

(c)

Prohibited uses. Upon the declaration of an emergency, the use and withdrawal of water by any person for the following purposes is hereby prohibited:

(1)

Washing of sidewalks, driveways and other outdoor surfaces.

(2)

Washing of outside of dwellings, office buildings or other structures.

(3)

The operation of any ornamental fountains unless such fountain has a self-contained recycling water system.

(4)

In the operation of swimming pools, wading pools and hot tubs not employing a recirculation system.

(5)

Washing of vehicles.

(6)

Watering of lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, gardens or other vegetation.

(d)

Exceptions.

(1)

The mayor shall have the authority to permit the reasonable use of water in any case necessary to maintain adequate health and sanitation standards; however, the mayor's action shall be subject to ratification by the majority vote of the city council at the next regular meeting of the city council after the mayor's action.

(2)

The mayor shall have the authority to establish a system for restricting the use of water for the washing of vehicles and the watering of lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, gardens and other vegetation, rather than prohibiting such use. Such a system can designate the dates and hours of such use and can provide for alternating locations of such use.

(e)

Requirement of warning; penalties.

(1)

Any person violating the provisions of this section, or the system established for the restricted use of water, shall first receive a written warning. If the violation is not ceased after the warning is given, the person, firm or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) nor less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or be imprisoned in the city jail not exceeding ten (10) days, or both. Each day such violation is committed, or permitted to continue, shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.

(2)

The city shall have the authority to install a water meter to regulate the cost of the future water use on any property, wherein the owner, his agents, or assigns, and/or a Lessee, his agents or assigns have been convicted of a third violation of this section.

(Ord. No. 076, 4-2-90; Ord. No. 381, 10-12-99; Ord. No. 451, 7-9-01)

Editor's note

Ordinance No. 076, adopted April 2, 1990, did not specifically amend this Code; hence, its inclusion as § 22-20 was at the discretion of the editor.