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Water restrictions mandatory for Greenville

Interim City Manager Massoud Ebrahim has announced the implementation of water conservation measures for the City of Greenville.

Because of lack of rainfall, the City’s water sources are now at a level that necessitates a reduction in water usage.  It is necessary to go to Stage 2 of the Water Shortage Conditions which calls for the achievement of a 10% reduction in total water use and/or daily water demand.  The City is asking for cooperation among its residents and water customers in achieving this goal.

In 1999, the City adopted a Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan.  The plan was last updated in 2007.  Currently, the City is at Stage 2 – Moderate Water Shortage Conditions. Requirements for initiating water conservation measures at Stage 2 occur certain criteria in the plan are met. 

Water Use Restrictions

Under Stage 2, water customers are required to comply with the following Water Use Restrictions:

1) Irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Saturdays and Wednesdays for customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9). Irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at anytime if it is by means of a hand-held hose, a faucet filled bucket or watering can of five (5) gallons or less, or drip irrigation system.

2) Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle  washing may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station.

Further, such washing may be exempted from these regulations if the health, safety, and welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.

3) Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare, except that use of water from designated fire hydrants for construction purposes may be allowed under special permit from the City of Greenville. 

4) Use of potable water for the irrigation of golf course greens, tees and fairways is prohibited  except between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.  However, if a golf course utilizes a water source other than that provided by the City of Greenville, the facility shall not be subject to these regulations.

The Wright Park Municipal Golf Course irrigates with effluent from the wastewater treatment plant and therefore, is not subject to this restriction.

Wholesale Water Customers

Wholesale water customers of the City of Greenville are also subject to Stage 2 restrictions and are being notified of their requirements.

Enforcement

The City of Greenville is confident that water customers will voluntarily observe the requirements of the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan.  If however, compliance is not observed, the person failing to comply is subject to the following:

Any person who violates this Plan is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) and not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).  Each day that one or more of the provisions in this Plan is violated shall constitute a separate offense.  If a person is convicted of three or more violations, after due notice to the customer, water service may be terminated.

A citation may be issued by any employee of the City of Greenville or a Police Officer, so designated by the City Manager.

Termination

Stage 2 of the Plan may be rescinded when two or more conditions listed as triggering events have ceased to exist.  These conditions will only be mitigated by substantial rainfall.

For more information visit www.ci.greenville.tx.us/savewater.

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