City declares water shortage emergency

Despite the rain this week, City Council members unanimously voted to declare a water shortage emergency on Tuesday, asking residents to take measures to reduce water use to reach a 10 percent reduction goal.

"Even though it's raining now, we are so far behind a typical rainy season," said council member Mike Kasperzak. "We have had bad droughts in the past, we muddle through them. Water is more important now and becoming scarcer and scarcer with climate change."

City officials presented a list of six water uses that are always prohibited, which residents and businesses are asked to be careful to adhere to during the so-called "stage one" water shortage:

Wasting water from broken or defective water systems. Time allowed for repairs is 10 days.

Using water in a manner that results in flooding or runoff into the gutter.

Cleaning hard-surfaced areas with a hose unless equipped with a shutoff valve.

Washing vehicles with a hose unless equipped with a shutoff valve.

Serving water in a restaurant, except upon request.

Operating single-pass cooling systems.

Those prohibitions are usually enforced on a complaint basis, but not during water shortages. And anyone who is caught and ignore notices about the problem from the city, faces a penalty: city code "authorizes the city to install flow-restriction devices on the water service line of a customer who violates the water conservation provisions."

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City declares water shortage emergency