(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake city council Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance establishing a “water emergency response program”.
The new policy is being mandated upon the city by the state through a consent decree issued by the Department of Natural Resources.
The policy has three different levels of alerts.
A WATER ADVISORY is to be issued when a shortage or equipment failure poses a potential threat to the ability of the water system to meet customer needs currently or in the foreseeable future.
A WATER WARNING will be issued when a water shortage or equipment problem poses an actual threat to the ability of the system to provide water currently or in the foreseeable future.
A WATER EMERGENCY will be declared when a shortage or equipment failure poses a severe and immediate threat to the ability of the system to meet demand. Such a declaration will be issued whenever the system is operating at 95 percent of pumping capacity; a serious decrease is experienced in the pumping water level of the lake and water towers; or there’s a serious decrease in the recovery rate of the levels in the water towers.
Each advisory level carries certain restrictions for things such as yard and garden watering and car washing. The exception is when a WATER EMERGENCY is issued. It prohibits all outside use except for domestic, sanitation and fire purposes. All commercial and industrial use of water not essential in providing products or services is prohibited, along with irrigation of crops and recreational uses.
The public will be notified via the media whenever an advisory, warning or emergency is declared.
Violators will receive warnings first; after that, fines could be issued. Repeat offenders could be susceptible to having their water service shut off.
