Source: http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/MercerIsland/html/MercerIsland15/MercerIsland1518.html
Timestamp: 2017-10-21 21:28:59
Document Index: 259306760

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 1']

Chapter 15.18 WATER USE RESTRICTIONS
15.18.010 Purpose.
15.18.020 Definitions.
15.18.030 Use restrictions.
15.18.040 Powers.
15.18.050 Enforcement – Conservation information.
This chapter is an exercise of the police power of the city for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the city. The city is authorized to impose water use restrictions in the event of a declared water supply emergency. The city manager is authorized to implement water conservation measures and to provide public education efforts regarding the benefits and necessity of conservation by the public. (Ord. A-86 § 1, 1990).
“City manager” means the city manager of the city of Mercer Island or his/her designee.
“Restrictions” means as follows:
1. The city shall limit water use to the level of or lower than “consumption” as defined by Seattle water department (SWD). Consumption is derived by SWD by computing annual consumption for the past preceding years and factoring in any forecasted growth.
2. Customers of the city shall limit use of water outdoors except at times specified in this chapter.
“Use of water outdoors” means lawn and turf irrigation; building, sidewalk and street washing; use of any nonrecirculating ornamental fountains; use of spigot or faucet not equipped with a shutoff valve; vehicle washing except in recirculating or re-use automatic car washes; and any other waste or use inconsistent with a water supply emergency.
“Water supply emergency” means an event when, in the judgment of SWD, the available supply of water will not meet the demand and will result in loss of service to any part of the SWD service area. Declaration of an emergency recognizes that an absence of water service may endanger public health and safety.
“Restriction device” means a solid orifice plate with a one-quarter-inch hole drilled in it installed on the city-side of the water meter. (Ord. A-86 § 1, 1990).
In the case of a water supply emergency, the city manager is authorized to impose water use restrictions in order to efficiently safeguard the safety and health of the general public and to provide for public convenience. The use of water for irrigation, cooling or other uses may be forbidden, restricted, or regulated and such regulations may be made applicable to all customers and/or to any particular class of customers in order to achieve compliance. (Ord. A-86 § 1, 1990).
The city manager shall provide public education efforts regarding the benefit and necessity of conservation by the public and is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement water use restrictions. The city manager is further authorized to make exceptions to the restrictions in specific cases, including, but not limited to, watering newly seeded or sodded lawns, alleviating unnecessary economic hardship to commercial or industrial activities, or preventing possible damage to the health, safety or welfare of any resident of the city. (Ord. A-86 § 1, 1990).
A. The city manager may assign enforcement authority to any member of the fire department, any member of the police department, any member of the maintenance department or any member of the building department.
B. The maintenance department shall, at the city manager’s direction, send a notice to the billing address or deliver to and/or post a notice at the service address advising customers of their water usage practices which exceed the water use restrictions and further advise that a water use restriction device may be installed in the customer service line in order to reduce consumption in the event of noncompliance with the water use restrictions.
C. The city manager is authorized to install a water restriction device on the city-side of the water meter serving any person or business who continues to use water in excess of that permitted by the water use restriction after receipt of two or more notices of excessive water use as provided for above. If the restriction device is removed by someone other than a member of the city maintenance department, the city manager may require the water service to be terminated to the property until compliance with the water use restrictions is guaranteed to the satisfaction of the city manager. (Ord. 06C-06 § 2; Ord. A-86 § 1, 1990).