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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 11572fj t } t ~~> ORDINANCE NO. -~~~s~--~ AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 35, WATER AND SEWERS, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH (1986), AS AMENDED, BY PROVIDING FOR THE PROMULGATION, IMPLEMENTATION, ENFORCEMENT, AND DURATION OF AN EMERGENCY WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN; BY PROVIDING FOR THE TEMPORARY DISCONTINUANCE OF WATER SERVICE FOR CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, OR EMERGENCY REASONS; BY REQUIRING ADEQUACY OF SUPPLY BEFORE SERVICE MAY BE PROVIDED; BY ESTABLISHING NON ESSENTIAL WATER USE RESTRICTIONS; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF PRIOR ORDINANCES; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND PROVISIONS OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: Section 1. That Chapter 35, "Water and Sewers", of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1986), as amended, is hereby further amended by adding a new Section 35-23, which shall be and read as follows: "SEC. 35-23 EMERGENCY AUTHORITY. (a) Purpose and scope The purpose of this section is to establish the city's policy in the event of shortages or delivery limitations in the city's water supply. This section applies to: (1) all persons and premises within the city using water from the water system; (2j ;all retail customers who live in unincorporated `areas within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction and are served by the water system; and (3) all wholesale service customers outside the city to the extent provided in Subsection (i). D \Water\Ordcons erv ;. (b) Emercrency water management plan. The emergency management plan is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and is incorporated herein by reference. (c) Authority. The city manager is authorized to implement measures prescribed when required by this section and by the emergency water management plan approved by the city council. The director is authorized to enforce the measures implemented and to promulgate regulations, not in conflict with this section or state and federal laws, in aid of enforcement. (d) Implementation of emergency order. The director, upon determination that the conditions of a water emergency exists, shall advise the city manager. The city manager may order that the appropriate state of emergency response, as detailed in the emergency water management plan, be implemented. To be effective, the order must be: (1) made by public announcement; and (2) published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city within 24 hours after the public announcement, which order becomes immediately effective upon publication. (e) Duration of order; chancre; extension. The order can be made effective for up to, but not more than, 60 days from the date of publication. Upon recommendation of the director, the city manager may upgrade or downgrade the state of emergency when the conditions triggering that stage occur. Any change in the order must be made in the same manner prescribed in Subsection (d) for implementing an emergency order. The city council may, upon the recommendation of the city manager and the director, extend the duration of the emergency order for additional time periods, not to exceed 120 days each. The city manager shall terminate the order in the manner prescribed in Subsection (d) for implementing an emergency order when the director determines that the conditions creating the emergency no longer exist. (f) Violation of section. A person commits an offense if he knowingly makes, causes or permits a use of water contrary to the measures implemented by the city manager as prescribed in the emergency water management plan. For purposes of this subsection, it is presumed that a person has knowingly made, caused or permitted a use of water contrary to the measures implemented if the mandatory D \Water\Ordcone erv 2 measures have been formally ordered consistent with the terms of Subsection (d) and: (1) the manner of use has been prohibited by the emergency water management plan. (2 ) the amount of water used exceeds that allowed by the emergency water management plan; or (3) the manner or amount used violates the terms and conditions of a compliance agreement made pursuant to a variance granted by the director under Subsection (g). (g) Variances. During the times the emergency order is operative, the director may grant variances in special cases to persons demonstrating extreme hardship and need. The director may grant variances only under the following circumstances and conditions: (1) the applicant must sign a compliance agreement on forms provided by the director, and approved by the city attorney, agreeing to use the water only in the amount and manner permitted by the variance; (2) granting of a variance must not cause an immediate significant reduction in the city's water supply; (3) the extreme hardship or need requiring the variance must relate to the health, safety or welfare of the person requesting it; and (4 ) the health, safety and welfare of other persons must not be adversely affected by granting of the variance. (h) Revocation of variances. The director may revoke a variance granted when he determines that: (1) the conditions of Subsection (g) are not being met or are no longer applicable; (2) the terms of the compliance agreement are being violated; or (3) the health, safety or welfare of other persons requires revocation. (i) Wholesale service to customers outside the city. The director shall advise customers receiving wholesale water service from the city of actions taken under the D \Water\Ordcons erv 3 emergency water management plan. The director may restrict 'service to customers outside the city as permitted under the contract and state law. (j) Authority under other laws. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the mayor, the city council or the city manager to seek emergency relief under the provisions of any state or federal disaster relief act." Section 2. That Chapter 35, "Water and Sewers", of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1986), as amended, is hereby further amended by adding a new section 35-24, which shall be and read as follows: "SEC. 35-24 ADEQUACY OF SUPPLY. (a) City supply must be adequate. Under no circumstances shall water be furnished by the city to any applicant or customer unless the supply of the city is adequate. In cases of emergency, priority of users of the city's water supply shall be determined by the director, subject to the requirements of state law and Section 35-23. (b) Revisions. The city council may from time to time, upon recommendation of the city manager and the director, make revisions in the emergency water management plan approved under Section 35-23(b) if prudent conservation requires the revisions." Section 3. That Chapter 35, "Water and Sewers", of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1986), as amended, is hereby further amended by adding a new Section 35-25, which shall be and read as follows: "SEC.35-25 TEMPORARY DISCONTINUANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE OR EMERGENCY REASONS. (a) Reasons for temporary discontinuance. The director is authorized to temporarily discontinue service to premises for the following reasons: (1) when a main break or other failure in the water or wastewater systems could injure persons, private or city property, or other parts of the systems; D \Water\Ordcons erv 4 (2 ) to perform routine maintenance or repair to any part of the water or wastewater systems; (3) to perform emergency maintenance or repair to any part of the water or wastewater systems; (4) in other cases of emergency, when necessary to protect the general health, safety or welfare of persons; or (5) to make a connection to a newly constructed or relocated water or wastewater main. (b) Responsibilities upon temporary discontinuance. In all cases of temporary discontinuance, the director must restore service as soon as is practical and must take all reasonable steps necessary to protect the public health and safety under the circumstances." Section 4. That Chapter 35 "Water and Sewers", of the Code of the City of Fort Worth (1986), as amended, is hereby further amended by adding a new Section 35-26, which shall be and read as follows: "SEC. 35-26 NON-ESSENTIAL WATER USE RESTRICTIONS The following restrictions shall apply to all customers of or persons who receive water from the city water supply: (a) The following uses of water are defined as "wasting water" and are strictly prohibited: (1) Permitting or causing water to flow, spray, or otherwise move or be discharged from the premises of any person responsible for any property within the corporate limits of the city to or upon any street, alley, or other public right-of-way, ditch or drain, unless same is caused as a result of weather conditions or such other uncontrollable events. (2) Failing to repair a leak in a private plumbing system or in an irrigation system within five working days of the discovery or notification of same. D:\Hater\Ordcons erv 5 b.) When referred to in this paragraph, "swimming pool" shall mean any portable or permanent structure containing or holding a body of water twenty-four (24) inches or more in depth and containing one thousand (1,000) gallons or more of water and intended for recreational purposes, including a wading pool. All swimming pools which are constructed 60 days after the effective date of this ordinance shall be equipped with filtration, pumping and recirculation systems which provide for recycling of filter backwash water. Section 5. That any person who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not more than One Thousand ($1,000) ;for each offense. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense. Section 6. Should any portion, section or part of a section of this Ordinance be declared invalid, inoperative or void for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision, opinion or judgment shall in no way impair the remaining portions, sections or parts of sections of this ordinance, which said remaining provisions shall be and remain in full force and effect. Section 7. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all other ordinances and appropriations except in those instances where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with other ordinances and appropriations, in which instances said conflicting provisions are hereby expressly repealed. 6. Section 8. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect from and after the date of its passage, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM D LEGALITY City Attorney Dated : s , ~ L ADOPTED: r° p~~-f ' ~~f EFFECTIVE : ~ °~ ~~ 7" D \Water\Ordcone erv 7 Cry of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council C,ommunicat~on DATI3 05/24/94 R8FBR8NC~ NUMBER ~**G10669 LOG NAME 60DEMAND PAGS 1 of 1 SUBJECT WATER CONSERVATION AND EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE AND PLAN RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the attached ordinance and emergency water management plan which encourage water conservation efforts DISCUSSION A Water Conservation Plan was initially approved ~by the City Council on July 28, 1987 (Resolution No 1249) The plan was amended in March 1989 (Resolution No 1398) to include several modifications requested by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Approval of the plan by the TWDB was required as a condition for accepting state loan funds for wastewater construction A version of the subject draft ordinance was included with the Water Conservation Plan, as required by the TWDB This ordinance was ready for City approval if a water shortage occurred, but has never been adopted It would be prudent to adopt the subject ordinance and plan so they would be ready for use in case a drought condition occurs, or if a water system failure occurs creating a water shortage condition The ordinance also contains a new section on non-essential water use restrictions Since our water is a finite resource not to be wasted, it is proposed to prohibit flagrant discharge of water from properties for such actions as lawn watering and failure to repair a private plumbing leak Recirculation systems for recycling of filter backwash water will be required for all new swimming pools FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION The Director of Fiscal Services certifies that,.no expenditure of City funds will be required to implement this recommendation MGI Submitted for City Manager's FUND ACCOUNT CSNTSR AMOUN'P CITY SSCRSTARY Office by (to) Mike Groomer 6140 ~ ~q~~~~~ Originating Department Head ~D a~~61~ ~~~~~~~ Richard Sawey 8207 (from) ~~~C For Additional Information ~' • Contact ~¢J ~'~-~,,,,> Cit ~ Richard Sawey a2o7 q e~ ~~, t:t~,: Cltp of Fasf'i'~v:E„.,, •_ :; . =S Adopted Ordinance No.l~~!~~ ~ Printed on recycled paper