Water Curtailment Measures

• Stage One—Alert for a Potential Water Supply Shortage
• Stage Two—Water Supply Shortage
• Stage Three—Critical Water Supply Shortage

Stage One—Alert for a Potential Water Supply Shortage

The Stage One alert is activated when a determination is made by the Director that a potential for a water shortage exists. Under Stage One, the Director has the authority to activate some or all of the voluntary curtailment measures listed below. Notification is provided to customers through notices on utility bills and news releases to the media. The Director shall provide notification of the Stage One alert and curtailment measures to all outside water districts served by City water.

1. Institute a voluntary restricted watering schedule based on odd/even address numbers for residential and business customers. The voluntary schedule shall apply to all residential and commercial lawn watering and other nonessential water uses with exceptions as specified by the Director. Customers will be asked to restrict watering to the early morning and evening hours to avoid loss through evaporation.

2. Disseminate informational brochures on conservation methods.

3. Activate conservation hotline with information on the current supply situation, voluntary measures, and conservation tips.

4. Develop a combination of media outreach through newspaper and bus advertisements, public service announcements, and/or theater slides.

5. Remind customers of Salem’s water waste ordinance.

6. Provide specific notification to major water users asking for voluntary reductions in use and/or deferring nonessential use to off-peak hours. For commercial and industrial users that have developed water shortage contingency plans, provide specific notification at each stage of curtailment and ask that they implement a corresponding action.

7. City operated decorative fountains that do not recirculate water shall cease operating.

8. The Regional Parks and Recreation Agency shall operate their irrigation system to achieve maximum efficiency based upon data received from their on-site weather station.

9. City uses of water for hydrant and water line flushing shall be limited to essential needs. Top

Stage Two—Water Supply Shortage

Stage Two is activated when a determination is made by the Director that a water shortage exists. Under Stage Two, the Director has the authority to activate some or all of the measures listed below until the capacity to deliver adequate supplies of water is restored. Customers shall be notified through major media sources of the request to voluntarily curtail all nonessential water use. In the event a problem is local, the City will distribute information to affected customers. Outside water districts served by City water shall be notified of the Stage Two situation and asked to comply with curtailment measures. Updates on the water situation shall be provided to the media regularly until Stage Two is canceled.

1. Stage One curtailment measures 2-7 continued.

2. Customers asked to voluntarily restrict all lawn watering and other nonessential uses of water as specified below:

(A) No watering or irrigating of lawns, grass, or turf unless it is:

(1) New lawn, grass, or turf that has been seeded or sodded after March 1 of the calendar year.

(2) Athletic fields frequently used for organized play;

(3) Golf course tees and greens; and,

(4) Park and recreation areas of a particular significance and value to the community as approved by the City Manager.

(B) No use of City-supplied water shall be allowed to clean, fill, or maintain levels in decorative fountains.

(C) No use of City-supplied water to wash sidewalks, walkways, streets, driveways, parking lots, or other hard surfaced areas except where necessary for public health or safety.

(D) No use of City-supplied water shall be allowed to wash vehicles.

3. For parks supplied by City water, the Regional Parks and Recreation Agency shall limit nonessential water use and/or irrigate only during off-peak hours as specified by the Director in consultation with the Community Services Director.

4. Hydrant and water main flushing shall be done for emergencies only. Top

Stage Three—Critical Water Supply Shortage

Stage Three is activated when a determination is made by the Director that there is a critical water supply shortage that threatens the ability of the City to deliver essential water supplies to its customers. Under Stage Three, the Director has the authority to activate the mandatory restrictions and other measures listed below. In the event a problem is local, the City will distribute information to affected customers. The Director shall immediately notify the City Manager and the Common Council of the situation and submit a report at the next available meeting of the Common Council. All media shall be notified of the situation and updated regularly on the water supply status. All outside water districts receiving City water shall be notified of the water shortage and asked to comply with the Stage Three restrictions.

1. Stage One curtailment measures 2-7 continued.

2. All nonessential water use prohibited according to SRC 72.250. Violators may be cited and water service may be interrupted for repeat violations per SRC 72.260.

72.250. WATER CURTAILMENT AUTHORITY. (A) When the director determines that a critical water supply shortage threatens the ability of the city to deliver essential water to its customers, the director may activate emergency measures in compliance with the entitled "Water Curtailment Plan" adopted by the Common Council on March 27, 1995, and on file with the city recorder.

(B) Upon declaration of a stage three critical water supply shortage by the director:

(1) No watering or irrigating of lawns, grass, or turf shall occur unless it is:

(a) New lawn, grass, or turf that has been seeded or sodded after March 1 of the calendar year in which the restrictions are imposed, and in such cases it may be watered as necessary until established;

(b) Athletic fields frequently used for organized play;

(c) Golf course tees and greens; and,

(d) Park and recreation areas of a particular significance and value to the community as approved by the city manager.

(2) No use of city-supplied water shall be allowed to clean, fill, or maintain levels in decorative fountains.

(3) No use of city-supplied water shall be allowed to fill swimming pools or other pools with a capacity in excess of 100 gallons, provided, however, that water may be added to swimming pools to replace volume lost due to evaporation and normal loss due to usage.

(4) No use of city-supplied water shall be allowed to wash sidewalks, walkways, streets, driveways, parking lots, or other hard surfaced areas except where necessary for public health or safety.

(5) No use of City-supplied water shall be allowed to wash vehicles.

3. Water waste prohibition ordinance SRC 72.240 strictly enforced. Violators may be cited and water service may be interrupted for repeat violations per SRC 72.260.

72.240. WATER WASTE PROHIBITED.

(A) It is unlawful to allow waste of city water by knowingly or negligently causing, authorizing or permitting such water to escape from its intended beneficial use into any river, creek, natural watercourse, depression, lake, reservoir, storm sewer, street, highway, road, or ditch.

(B) For the purpose of this section:

(1) "waste" means the use of water in excess of the reasonable volume necessary to meet the beneficial use;

(2) "beneficial use" means the reasonable efficient use of water.

72.260. WITHHOLDING OF SERVICE. In the event that a citation is issued during the period of activated emergency measures for a violation of SRC 72.240 or SRC 72.250, and the director determines that a second violation has occurred after the date of the citation and during the same emergency curtailment period, the director may:

(A) Install a flow restrictor on the street side of the water meter; or

(B) Terminate water service.

4. The Regional Parks and Recreation Agency shall use their automated irrigation system to restrict nonessential water use at parks supplied by City water as specified by the Director in consultation with the Community Services Director.

5. Hydrant and water main flushing shall be done for emergencies only. Top