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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Establishing a Water Use Policy During a Water Shortage ORDINANCE NO. 2777 AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A WATER USE POLICY DURING A TIME OF WATER SHORTAGE BY AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA BY ENACTING NEW SECTIONS 28.84 THROUGH 28.91, TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF WATER; PROHIBITING AND RESTRICTING CERTAIN USES OF WATER; ESTABLISHING PREMIUM RATES FOR WATER CONSUMED IN EXCESS OF A BASE QUANTITY; ESTAB- LISHING A SYSTEM FOR APPEAL OF THE ALLOCATION AMOUNT AND ADJUSTMENT OF THE PREMIUM CHARGES; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT IF ANY; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED and enacted by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa: Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and is hereby amended by enacting new sections 28.84 through 28.91 thereof as follows: VI WATER RATIONING Sec. 28.84. WATER SHORTAGES OCCUR. From time to time, during and following drought conditions the acqui- fers which supply the water to the Ames Municipal Water Utility may become significantly and seriously depleted so that there will not then be sufficient supply of water to meet all customary and usual demand indefinitely. Under those conditions the City Council may find, and declare by resolution, a public emergency water shortage during which time the following measures and provisions shall be in effect to produce an orderly and equitable curtail- ment of water consumption until, by resolution, the Council finds and de- clares the water shortage emergency to be ended. Sec. 28.85. BASE ALLOCATION The Base Allocation of water for each customer of the Ames Water Utility shall be 400 cubic feet per billing period. Sec. 28.86. APPEAL AND ADJUSTMENT OF THE BASE ALLOCATION Any customer may file an appeal with the City Manager to adjust the Base Allocation amount. The City Manager may grant an adjustment to the Appellant based on the following criteria. 1) For single-family residential use, the Base Allocation may be in- creased to 200 cubic feet per person per billing period for all individuals residing at the Appellant's residence for a period of more than 30 days. 2) For commercial, industrial, institutional, or other residential use, the Base Allocation may be increased based on factors appropriate to the individual customer; such as, the average of the water billed during the previous winter (November through April), production, service, occupancy data provided by the customer. Sec. 28.87. PREMIUM RATE FOR INAUSTERE CONSUMPTION In addition to the water rates duly enacted by the Ames City Council, all customers shall pay a premium rate of 7.5 cents per cubic foot of water consumed in excess of the Base Allocation established in Sections 28.85 and 28.86 above. Sec. 28.88. ADJUSTMENT OF PREMIUM RATE CHARGES. Any customer may file for adjustment of the premium rate charges for inaustere water consumption with the City Manager. The City Manager may grant an adjustment of the premium rate charges in accordance with the fol- lowing criteria. 1) The cause of the high consumption shall be mechanical in nature (such as broken or leaky pipes or fixtures) rather than human carelessness. 2) The customer shall furnish proof that the mechanical failure was repaired promptly. This should be in the form of a licensed plumber's invoice or statement or a materials receipt. 3) The adjustment shall be granted only for the billing period prior to the correction of the failure. 4) For those accounts granted an adjustment of the premium rate charges, the minimum adjusted rate shall be $5.00. Sec. 28.89. PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED WATER USES. No person shall use potable processed water of the Ames municipal utility in any manner contrary to the following: 1) No outdoor watering or irrigation of lawn in any way whatsoever. 2) No outdoor watering of any kind between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. 3) Watering or irrigation of flower and vegetable gardens, trees and shrubs less than 4 years old, and new seeding or sod is permitted once per week with an application not to exceed 1 inch. 4) No car washing is allowed except at commercial establishments which provide that service. • 30 5) No water shall be used to fill private swimming pools, children's wading pools, reflecting pools, or any other outdoor pool or pond of any kind or description whatsoever. However, water reclaimed or recycled after some other primary use, such as water that has been used for washing or cooling, may be used without restriction. Additionally, water derived from sources other than the Ames Municipal Water Utility, such as water condensed from the atmosphere by air conditioners or collected from such rain or snow may be used without restriction. See. 28.90. REDUCTION IN FLOW OF WATER TO ANY 'CUSTOMER. The City Manager is authorized, after giving notice and opportunity for hearing, to reduce the flow of water to any customer determined to be using water in any manner not in accordance with this ordinance. Sec. 28.91. PENALTIES. Any person who, in making application to the City Manager for adjust- ment of the Base Allocation or Premium Charges, intentionally provides false or incorrect statements or information shall automatically have their requests denied and shall additionally be liable to a penalty of $25.00 for the first offense and a penalty of $100.00 for the next and each succeeding or addi- tional violation. " Section Two. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. Section Three. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed this 21st day of july 1981. Gin icknese, City Cler Paul Goodland, Mayor