Water Curtailment allocation Table in cubic feet (cf)

Note:  There are 7.48 gallons per cubic feet.

Example:  A household with a regular water use meter is allocated 3600 cf of water per month.  If the household uses 5000 cf of water, the difference will be charged: 1400 cf x
 $.08080 = $113.12 added to the monthly bill.

14.06 Water Curtailment

14.06.010 Exhibit A

14.06.010 Definitions

The following words and phrases whenever used in this chapter shall be construed as defined in this section unless from the context a different meaning is intended.

A. "Billing period" means that period used by the City for the reading of water meters consisting of approximately 30 calendar days.

B. "City water" means water sold or delivered by the City of Ashland and includes Talent Irrigation District water delivered through the City's water system.

C. "Cf" means cubic feet.

D. "Customer" means that person or persons designated in City records to receive bills for water service.

E. "Multi-family dwelling" means a building containing two or more residential units.

F. "Outside plants" means grass, lawns, ground-cover, shrubbery, gardens, crops, vegetation and trees not located within a fully enclosed building.

G. "Permanent resident" means a person who resides at the dwelling at least five days a week, nine months a year.

H. "Temporary or Drop-In Guest" means a person who resides at the dwelling less than 3 consecutive months per year.

I. "Water Allocation Table" means that table of meter types and sizes and maximum volumes of water set forth in Exhibit "A" attached to this Ordinance.(See section 14.06.010 Exhibits for water table)

J. "Waste" means:

1. To use City water to irrigate outside plants:

a. Between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. May through July or between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. August through October, except that drip irrigation systems may be used during these times.

b. in such a manner as to result in runoff on a street, sidewalk, alley or adjacent property for more than five minutes.

2. To use City water to wash sidewalks, walkways, streets, driveways, parking lots, open ground or other hard surfaced areas except where necessary for public health or safety.

3. To allow City water to escape from breaks within a plumbing system for more than 24 hours after the person who owns or is in control of the system is notified or discovers the break.

4. To use City water to wash cars, boats, trailers, aircraft, or other vehicles by hose without using a shutoff nozzle except to wash such vehicles at commercial or fleet vehicle washing facilities using water recycling equipment.

5. To serve City water for drinking at a restaurant, hotel, cafe, cafeteria or other public place where food is sold, served or offered for sale, to any person unless expressly requested by such person.

6. To use City water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains, lakes or ponds unless all such water is recirculated.

7. Except for purposes of building construction, to use City water for construction, compaction, dust control, cleaning or wetting or for building wash down (except in preparation for painting).

 8. To use City water for filling swimming pools or for filling toy, play or other pools with a capacity in excess of 100 gallons, provided, however, that water may be added to swimming pools to replace volume loss due to evaporation.

14.06.020 Determination of water shortage
 

A. The City Administrator is authorized to prohibit waste as defined in section 14.060.010 or implement water curtailment stages upon determination that a water shortage emergency conditions exists. Such determination shall be based on an analysis of the demand for water in the City, the volume of water in Reeder Reservoir, the standard drawdown curve for Reeder Reservoir, the projected curtailment date for Talent Irrigation District water and flows in the east and west forks of Ashland Creek. The determination of the City Administrator under this section shall be effective until the next council meeting following such determination at which time the council shall either ratify or invalidate the determination.

B. The City Administrator is authorized to terminate waste prohibitions or water curtailment stages upon determination that a water shortage emergency condition no longer exists. Such determination shall be based upon factors listed in section 14.06.020. The termination shall be effective until the next council meeting following the determination of the City Administrator at which time the council shall either ratify or invalidate the determination.
(ORD 2869, 2001)

14.06.030 Water curtailment stages

Depending on the severity of the potential water shortage, the City Administrator may implement the following water curtailment stages. During any stage, no person shall waste City water.

Stage 1.
The following restrictions are effective during water curtailment Stage 1:

No customer shall receive through the water meter assigned to such customer more than the maximum volume of water for such meter indicated for Stage 1 in the Water Allocation Table.

Government agencies, including but not limited to parks, schools, colleges and municipalities may have separate account allotments combined into one "agency" allotment and are exempt from Stage 1 restrictions if their water consumption is otherwise reduced by 20% from the volume of water delivered in the same billing period for the first previous non-water curtailment year.

Stage 2.
The following restrictions are effective during water curtailment Stage 2:

No customer shall receive through the water meter assigned to such customer more than the maximum volume of water for such meter indicated for Stage 2 in the Water Allocation Table.

Government agencies, including but not limited to parks, schools, colleges and municipalities may have separate account allotments combined into one "agency" allotment and are exempt from Stage 2 restrictions if their water consumption is otherwise reduced by 30% from the volume of water determined under Stage 1.

Stage 3.
The following restrictions are effective during water curtailment Stage 3:

No customer shall receive through the water meter assigned to such customer more than the maximum volume of water for such meter indicated for Stage 3 in the Water Allocation Table.

Government agencies, including but not limited to parks, schools, colleges and municipalities may have separate account allotments combined into one "agency" allotment and are exempt from 3 restrictions if their water consumption is otherwise reduced by 40% from the volume of water determined under Stage 2.

Stage 4.
The following restrictions are effective during water curtailment Stage 4:

No customer shall receive through the water meter assigned to such customer more than the maximum volume of water for such meter indicated for Stage 4 in the Water Allocation Table.

Government agencies, including but not limited to parks, schools, colleges and municipalities may have separate account allotments combined into one "agency" allotment and are exempt from Stage 4 restrictions if their water consumption is otherwise reduced by 50% from the volume of water determined under Stage 3.

3. No City water shall be used to irrigate outside plants, except for trees, shrubs and food plants. If the customer has an irrigation meter, the irrigiation meter shall not be used. The watering of trees, shrubs and food plants shall be through the non-irrigation meter and the total allocation shall not exceed the amount allowed for the non-irrigation meter.

14.06.060 Exemptions and appeals

A. Any person who wishes to be exempted from a restriction imposed by any water curtailment stage shall request an exemption in writing on forms provided by the City and file the request for exemption in writing with the Utility Billing Office.

B. Requests will be reviewed after a water audit is conducted by the City and a determination made by the utility billing account representative as to the validity of the request for an exemption. No exemptions will be considered until the City has conducted a water audit.

C. Exemptions may be granted for the following:

1. Any person with substantial medical requirements as prescribed in writing by a physician. Examples would be hydrotherapy pools or life support systems.

2. Residential connections with more than four permanent residents in a single family residence or three permanent residents per unit in a multifamily dwelling can receive up to 350 cf per month per additional permanent resident. A census may be conducted to determine the actual number of permanent residents per living unit. Temporary or dropin guests will not be considered for additional allocations.

3. For commercial or industrial accounts where water supply reductions will result in unemployment or decrease production, after confirmation by the City that the account has instituted all applicable water efficiency improvements.

4. For any other reason upon showing of good cause and where necessary for public health or safety.

5. For commercial accounts where water meter is undersized (as determined under the Uniform Plumbing Code) for the current occupancy, the allocation for such accounts may be increased up to the allocation for the water meter size designated for such occupancy in the Uniform Plumbing Code.

D. Exemptions will not be allowed for steam cleaning or similar uses of water. The amount allocated for any given customer will include such uses and no additional allocation will be allowed.

E. The utility billing account representative shall report to the Director of Public Works the findings and conclusions resulting from the review. The Director shall approve or deny the request for exemptions and may impose conditions. Such conditions may include the amount volume restrictions may be exceeded and that all applicable plumbing fixtures or irrigation systems be replaced or modified for maximum water conservation. If the Director and the applicant are unable to reach accord on the exemption, or if the applicant is dissatisfied with the decision, the applicant may appeal to the City Administrator in writing who will make the final determination.

F. Except for an exemption granted under section 14.06.060.C.1, C.2 and C.5, the water consumption surcharge specified in section 14.06.080 shall apply to all exemptions.

(ORD 2869, 2001)

14.06.080 Excess water consumption surcharge

For any full billing period that begins after the City Administrator’s determination is made and ratified as provided in section 14.06.060:

A. Any customer who exceeds the maximum volumes established in the Water Allocation Table for Stages 1,2 or 3 shall pay a surcharge of four times the rate for water delivered in excess of the established maximum volume.

B. During Stage 4, any customer who exceeds the maximum volumes established in the Water Allocation Table shall pay a surcharge of ten times the rate for water delivered in excess of the established maximum volume.

(ORD 2869, 2001)

14.06.090 Penalties and enforcement

The penalties for violations of this chapter shall be cumulative in that they may be in addition to, not in lieu of, other penalties, remedies or surcharges established by this chapter.

A person shall not violate or procure, aid or abet in the violation of any provision of this chapter. A violation of any provision of this chapter is an infraction and shall be punished as set forth in section 1.08.020 of the Municipal Code.

If a customer exceeds the maximum volume for more than one billing period, the City may install a flow restricting device at the service meter which reduces water flow and pressure. For services up to one and one-half inch size the City may install a flow restricting device of two gallon-per-minute capacity, and for larger services, comparatively sized restricting devices for larger services, for a period of seven days. Before normal service will be restored, a flow restrictor installation and removal charge of $100 shall be paid by the person who subscribes for the water service.

Service may be terminated to any customer who knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this chapter.
(Ord 2736, 1994)