STAFF REPORT - CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY/PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY

City Council is hereby recommended to approve a resolution, effective May 5, 2022 continuing the City of Coalinga's water conservation emergency proclamation and modifying water shortage regulations.

The City Council, at their last meeting requested that staff bring back a resolution modifying the policy for outdoor water restrictions and lift the moratorium on swimming pools.  Staff has prepared that resolution.

The attached resolution continues the drought emergency proclamation including modifying watering restrictions and lifting the moratorium on swimming pools.  The resolution essentially describes stage 2 water conservation with a few additional restrictions and penalties.

Those restrictions and penalties are as follows:

Water Conservation Emergency Restrictions

• No water customer shall sprinkle, water, or irrigate any shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, groundcovers, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers, or any other landscaped or vegetated areas on between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  This provision shall not apply to equestrian and livestock businesses, dairies, nurseries, golf courses, or other water-dependent industries.
• Residential addresses ending in an EVEN number may use water on Tuesday, and Friday.
• Residential addresses ending in an ODD number and Non-Residential (irrespective of address) may use water on Wednesday and Saturday; and
• NO irrigation shall occur on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays.

Additional Restrictions

• No restaurants or other public place which serves food shall serve drinking water to any customer unless expressly requested by the customer.
• Hand-held hose washing is prohibited for sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking areas, patios, porches, and verandas.
• Water landscaping so that “more than incidental runoff” flows into a road, sidewalk, or parking lot.
• Decorative fountains must recirculate water.

Penalties

• No water customer of the City shall knowingly use, or permit the use of, water in a manner contrary to any provisions of this resolution, or in an amount in excess of that use permitted by the provisions of this resolution.
• Unless otherwise provided, any water customer violating any restriction shall be guilty of an infraction, and each day or portion thereof such violation is in existence shall be a new and separate offense.
  1. Any water customer determined to be guilty of a first-time violation shall be issued as a warning
  2. For a second violation during any period of declared water conservation emergency an infraction, punishable by a fine not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
  3. For a third violation during any period of declared water conservation emergency an infraction, punishable by a fine not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
  4. For a fourth violation during any period of declared water conservation emergency an infraction, punishable by a fine not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), and placement of a flow restrictor. In addition, the City may discontinue water services.
• In addition to the above remedies, the City Manager or his or her designee is empowered, to enforce any or all of the following penalties:

1. Place a flow restricting device upon the water service;
2. Lock off of a water meter; o Remove a water meter;
3. Shut off the service connection.

All costs or expenses incurred by the City for enforcement of this section shall be borne by the water customer. No water service shall be limited or discontinued until the City Manager or his or her designee provides a written notice of intent to so limit or discontinue such service and the reasons for such decision, and further, provides such water customer notice of the right to request an administrative review and hearing pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 6-4.26 of the Municipal Code, except that any reference to "citation" in that section shall instead be deemed a reference to a "notice of intent" as described in this section. A written notice of intent shall be provided either by first class mail, by personal service on the water customer, or by posting said notice in a conspicuous place on the property wherein the violation occurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, there shall be no right to further administrative review or appeal.

Do not approve the resolution and keep outdoor watering restrictions at one day a week and pool moratorium in effect.

None determined at this time.