13.14.070 Water conservation stages.

The intent of this section is to provide for the escalation of customer demand management strategies that may be necessary due to an emergency caused by drought and/or water supply shortages. There are six stages of strategies, each of which builds upon its predecessor stage and are to be implemented as the severity of conditions increase. Stage 6 can be implemented at any time due to catastrophic events and conditions, either natural or unnatural, including flooding, major fire emergencies, earthquakes, regional power outages, water contamination, and emergencies other than water shortage. No customer of the city shall make, cause, use, or permit the use of water from the city for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, governmental, or any other purpose in a manner contrary to any provision of this chapter, or in an amount in excess of what is permitted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The reductions shall be based upon the amount of water used during that base period defined as the amount of water used on a customer's property during the corresponding monthly billing period in the previous year, or other year as may be designated by the city council. New services or services without a base year billing history shall be allotted on comparable customer usage.

(A) Stage 1—Voluntary Conservation. The intent of Stage 1 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of ten percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 1 (Voluntary Conservation)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide reduction of ten percent is necessary. During Stage 1, all water customers of the city shall be requested to implement the following best practices:

(1) Apply irrigation water only during the evening and early morning hours to reduce evaporation losses.

(2) Utilize water conservation incentive, rebate and giveaway programs to replace water guzzling plumbing fixtures and appliances with water efficient models.

(3) Utilize city information regarding using water efficiently, reading water meters, repairing ordinary leaks, and water efficient landscape.

(4) Wash automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes, and other types of mobile equipment during the evening and early morning hours to reduce evaporation losses. Such washing shall be done with a hand-held bucket, or hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle used for quick rinses.

(5) Reduce monthly demand by ten percent when compared to the same time period in the established base year.

(B) Stage 2—Mandatory Compliance—Water Alert. The intent of Stage 2 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of twenty percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 2 (Mandatory Compliance—Water Alert)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide reduction of twenty percent is necessary. In addition to the mandatory twenty percent reduction for each water customer, and in addition to the requirements in Stage 1, the following activities shall be prohibited:

(1) Gardening and landscape irrigation utilizing individual sprinklers or sprinkler systems on lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, trees, shrubs, or other plants except as expressly provided for by resolution of the city council.

(2) The washing of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes, and other types of mobile equipment except as expressly allowed by the adoption of a resolution by city council.

(3) The washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios, or other paved areas except as expressly allowed by the adoption of a resolution by city council.

(4) The irrigation of turf on street medians with water.

(5) The use of water to fill a new or existing swimming pool, spa, pond, or similar recreational basin of water.

(6) The operation of any ornamental fountain or other structure making similar or otherwise ornamental use of water outside.

(C) Stage 3—Mandatory Compliance—Water Emergency. The intent of Stage 3 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of thirty percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 3 (Mandatory Compliance—Water Emergency)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide demand reduction of thirty percent is necessary. In addition to a mandatory reduction of thirty percent for each water customer, and in addition to the requirements in Stages 1 and 2, the following activities shall be prohibited:

(1) Planting any new landscaping, except for native, drought-tolerant species as defined by Chapter 16.22.

(D) Stage 4—Mandatory Compliance—Critical Water Emergency. The intent of Stage 4 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of forty percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 4 (Mandatory Compliance—Critical Water Emergency)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide demand reduction of forty percent is necessary. In addition to the mandatory conservation goals for each water customer, and in addition to the requirements in Stages 1, 2, and 3, the following activities shall be prohibited:

(1) Residential development unless the developer has submitted a complete building permit application to the city prior to the Stage 4 declaration. Building permit applications may proceed with a deferral of landscape installation, until the water shortage level has been lifted.

(2) Linen/towel exchanges more frequently than once every three nights or for the entire stay, whichever is shorter, except for health and safety.

(E) Stage 5—Mandatory Compliance—Severe Water Emergency. The intent of Stage 5 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of fifty percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 5 (Mandatory Compliance—Severe Water Emergency)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide demand reduction of fifty percent is necessary. During Stage 5, mandatory water rationing will occur on a property by property basis. Regardless of water consumption in the prior or other base year, the city council may set water allocation amounts based on minimum health and safety standards. In addition to the mandatory conservation goals for each water customer, and in addition to the requirements in Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4, the following activities shall be prohibited:

(1) The use of water outside of a home or business except as expressly provided for by resolution of the city council.

(2) Use of water in excess of the allocation to a property.

(F) Stage 6—Mandatory Compliance—Catastrophic Interruption of Water Supplies. The intent of Stage 6 is to achieve an overall system-wide demand reduction of greater than fifty percent. The city council may, by resolution, declare a "Drought Emergency Stage 6 (Mandatory Compliance—Catastrophic Interruption of Water Supplies)" upon recommendation by the manager and based on water supply and delivery projections by the maintenance and utilities director, that an overall system-wide demand reduction of greater than fifty percent is necessary. In addition to the mandatory conservation goals for each water customer, and in addition to the requirements in Stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the following activities shall be prohibited:

(1) Non-Essential Water Use. Water use is restricted to essential water uses only.