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Drought Preparedness Plan
Town of Snowflake
2.0 Requirement by House Bill 2277
This is Part II of the System Water Plan passed by the
legislature in 2005 requiring all water supply systems to
develop a Drought Preparedness Plan.
2.1 Declaration of Policy, Purpose and Intent:
Drought and a number of other uncontrollable circumstances
can disrupt the normal availability of the Town’s water Supply.
Even though the Town may have adequate water supply, the supply
could become contaminated, or a disaster could destroy the
utility infrastructure needed to transport, treat and distribute
water to customers. Although water emergencies may not be the
result of a drought condition, for the purpose of this plan they
are referred to as a Drought Preparedness Plan or water
emergency condition.
This Drought Preparedness Plan describes the conditions that
require short-term water demand management in the Town of
Snowflake and establishes policies and procedures that offer
strategies for a timely and effective water management response.
Such a response is needed when water use in an area approaches
the system’s supply, treatment or delivery capacity. Examples
include drought conditions, unusually high water demands,
unforeseen equipment/system failure or contamination of a water
supply source.
In order to conserve the available water supply and protect
the integrity of water supply facilities with regard for
domestic water use, sanitation and fire protection, to protect
and preserve public health, welfare, safety and minimize the
adverse impacts of water supply shortage or other water supply
emergency conditions, the Town of Snowflake hereby adopts the
following regulations and restrictions on delivery and
consumption of water.
Water uses regulated or prohibited under this Drought
Preparedness Plan are considered non-essential and continuation
of such uses during times of water shortage or other emergency
water supply conditions constitute a waste of water, which
subjects the offender(s) to penalties as defined in this Plan.
2.2 Public Education
Successful implementation of the Drought Preparedness Plan
depends on the effective communication with the public.
Snowflake officials must exchange ideas with the public to
understand the needs and determine what water uses are most
essential. The public must believe that the measures adopted are
credible. A public awareness and education campaign will be
successful if it conveys that:
The water management condition is real.
Reductions in water demand are necessary.
The adopted measures realistically correspond to the
severity of the situation.
All customers share the inconvenience during water
shortages.
The Town of Snowflake is effectively managing the
existing water supply.
To accomplish these five objectives, the Town of
Snowflake will take the following steps during drought or
water emergency conditions:
Alert the public and keep the public regularly
informed through local media. Initiate public
discussions when appropriate.
Promote public understanding of the Drought
Preparedness Plan and convey restrictions required
should the situation worsen.
Educate the public about ways to use water more
efficiently.
Gather public support for the plan’s actions.
Highlight the leadership role of the town government
to save water.
The campaign will work to gather support from various
forms of news media to successfully keep the public
informed. Once initiated and especially during stages III
and IV, the Town and the news media will provide regular
alerts to successfully implement public awareness and
education.
News Media:
Radio and television public service announcements.
Newspaper announcements.
Interviews on radio and television programs.
Newspaper articles.
Press releases.
Communications:
Post on the Town website of the current stage and
restrictions that apply.
Telephone notifications to large water use customers
when applicable.
Water bill inserts or messages.
Prepare fact sheets for distribution at local
businesses.
Mail notices to all users, if needed before or after
water bills have been mailed.
Post signs and notices (e.g., city hall, post office,
library and other public places).
Community Involvement:
Public meetings and hearings.
Public education seminars (with various clubs and
Chamber of Commerce).
School programs.
2.3 Procedure Authorization:
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish the Town of
Snowflake’s policy in case of shortages or delivery
limitations in the Town’s water supply, or in the case of
equipment malfunctions or similar emergencies. The Drought
Preparedness Plan is adopted and shall be incorporated as if
fully set forth and enforceable as part of this ordinance.
As required by House Bill 2277- System Water Plan, the plan
shall consist of escalating phases of water use restrictions
based on appropriate triggering conditions approved by the
Town Council. The plan will provide procedures for voluntary
and mandatory actions placed into effect to temporarily
reduce the demand placed upon the Town’s water supply system
during a water shortage.
2.4 Plan applicability:
This plan applies to all users, premises and retail
customers receiving water from the Town of Snowflake’s water
system. This plan also insures that the Town of Snowflake
water utilities will maintain an adequate water supply for
essential public needs.
2.5 Triggering Criteria for Initiation and Termination of
Drought Response Stages:
Monitor all relevant components of the Town of Snowflake
water system to ensure that actions taken are based on
current and reliable information. Snowflake Public Works
will monitor the system, at a minimum, on a weekly basis
until such point when projections based on past use indicate
a trigger could be reached within two weeks. At this time,
daily monitoring and reporting to the Town Manager will
occur.
Initiation: The Town Manager may order the initiation of
the appropriate stage of the Plan. To be effective, public
notification must come before actual initiation. Meeting or
exceeding one or more trigger conditions is sufficient cause
to initiate a Drought Contingency Plan stage. Factors
influencing this decision include, but are not limited to,
the time of year, weather conditions, anticipation of
replenished water supplies, or anticipation that facilities
will come on-line to serve capacity.
Duration, Changes and Extensions: The order can be made
effective for up to, but not more than 90 days from the date
of communicating a given stage of the plan that requires
curtailment of water use by the public (i.e., stages 2,3, or
4). The Town Manager and Town Council may extend the
duration of an order for additional time periods, not to
exceed 120 days each.
Termination: When conditions exist to
terminate a stage of the plan, the Town Manager may execute
the order to terminate the appropriate stage of the Plan.
Termination of any stage will occur if
the corresponding drought preparedness condition has
subsided or been eliminated and if the corresponding trigger
condition is no longer needed and would be unlikely to recur
upon termination.
Public Notification: The following
procedures are required to initiate or cancel each stage of
the Drought Contingency Plan:
Notification by public announcement
via electronic media.
Notification published in newspapers
of general circulation to the town within 24 hours after
the public announcement.
The order becomes effective
immediately upon publication.
Arizona Department of Water Resources
Notification: The Town of Snowflake will notify the
Executive Director of the Arizona Department of Water
Resources within 5 business days of the implementation of
any mandatory provision of the Drought Contingency Plan
(stages 2, 3 or 4).
2.6 Four Stages of the Drought
Contingency Plan:
Proactive management is the best way to
lessen the potential impact of a drought contingency
situation on the citizens of Snowflake. The Town of
Snowflake has established four successive stages to
implement progressively stringent management measures.
Meeting or exceeding the water-reductions goals in the early
stages reduces or eliminates the need to progress to later
stages. The entire public benefits if the Town takes
responsible action in the early stages of a Drought
Contingency situation. The Town uses three distinct types of
water shortage situation to establish the trigger conditions
listed below:
Trigger Conditions: The trigger
conditions for each of the three types of water management
conditions and each of the four water management plan stages
are provided in Table 2.1. Table 2.1 shows the rationale for
each trigger condition.
For a Type A situation, preservation
of the total water supply will be critical and
corresponding water management measures should stress
overall reductions in water use. An extended drought
causes this condition. The best opportunity to respond
to a drought is early in the drought cycle. Drought
Contingency measures should stress overall reductions in
water demand (i.e., average-day water demand).
For a Type B situation, in which the
water demand approaches the delivery capacity of the
system, the peak water demand will be critical, and
corresponding drought preparedness measures should
stress water-use reductions or shift to off-peak hours.
In this situation, the ultimate goal of Stages 1, 2 and
3 will be to avoid triggering the next stage. A Stage 4
trigger requires immediate and severe water demand
reductions. Equipment or system failures that result
from increased stresses to the transmission, treatment
or distribution systems can worsen a Type B situation.
An increase in water demand causes this condition. In
the short term, this typically occurs during the summer
months when irrigation requires more water. In the long
term, it could occur if treatment plant or distribution
system expansions do not deep pace with the growth in
consumer demand or redistribution of the demand to
off-peak hours.
For a Type C situation where
deficiencies limit the supply capacity, both water-use
reductions and shifts to off-peak hours may be
necessary. Although the area involved may be localized,
immediate action requiring water demand reduction is
necessary. Depending upon the severity of the triggering
conditions, it is feasible that the plan could proceed
immediately to implementation of stage 3 or stage 4. A
break in a large transmission main, mechanical failure
to one or more large pumps or the collapse of a well
causes this condition. Contamination of water supplies
or other unforeseen occurrences may also instigate this
condition. They may arise with little warning and
require immediate and/or aggressive actions. Drought
contingency measures should stress reductions in peak
water demand or redistribution of the demand to off-peak
hours.
Table 2.1 Summary of Town of Snowflake Water
Utilities Trigger Conditions
| Type of
Management
Condition |
Stage 1 Water Awareness |
Stage 2 Water Watch |
Stage 3 Water Warning |
Stage 4 Water
Emergency |
| Type A Water Supplies
Are Low |
Static water depth indicates a
drop of more than 4 feet for any of the main wells during
quarterly testing |
Static water depth testing
indicates a drop of more than
4 feet for 2 consecutive quarters for any of the main
wells. |
Static water depth testing
indicates a drop of more than 5 feet for 3 consecutive
monthly or 8 feet or more for any quarterly reading. |
Static Water depth testing
indicates a drop of more than 10 feet since previous reading
or cumulative readings over
1 year. |
| Type B Water Demand
Approaches
System
Capacity |
Water demand has reached or
exceeded 90% of delivery capacity for 3 consecutive days |
Water demand has reached or
exceeded 90 % of delivery capacity for 5 consecutive days |
Water demand has reached or
exceeded 95 % of delivery capacity for 2 consecutive days |
Water demand has reached or
exceeded 98% of delivery capacity for 1 consecutive day. |
| Type C Short-Term
Deficiencies
Limit Supply
Capability |
Water demand approaches a
reduced delivery capacity for all or part of the system, as
determined by the Public Works. |
Water demand equals a reduced
delivery capacity for all or part of the system, as
determined by the Public Works. |
Water demand exceeds a reduced
delivery capacity for all or part of the system, as
determined by the Public Works. |
Water demand seriously exceeds
a reduced delivery capacity for all or part of the system,
as determined by the Public Works. |
2.7 Rationale for Trigger Conditions:
Type A, Water supplies are low. Since
Snowflake obtains water from 4 main wells from the Coconino
Aquifer. The Town of Snowflake has the ability to balance
water supplies. Trigger conditions for low water supplies
are based on static water depth testing per quarter or if
appropriate monthly.
Type B, Water demand approaches system
capacity. Base trigger conditions on the available delivery
capacity relative to water demand. In most cases, the
limiting constraint will be the maximum pump flow relative
to water demand. To set the trigger conditions, the Town
examined water demand and the system’s delivery capacity.
The selected trigger levels provide sufficient time delay
between each stage and time to implement measures that
correspond with the severity of the capacity shortfall.
Type C, Short-Term deficiencies limit
supply capability. The trigger conditions for short-term
deficiencies limiting supply capability are based upon how
much water supply or delivery capacity remains available
relative to water demand for all or part of the system.
Trigger conditions, which will be determined when the
deficiency occurs, will be based on the area impacted,
existing conditions and options available within the
Snowflake Water Utility System at that time.
2.8 Water Management Measures:
Section 2.5 outlined the drought preparedness
stages and the monitoring for initiation and termination. This
section outlines the responses at each stage. Because the most
effective response to a given drought management condition may
vary on the type and factors unique to the situation, the Town
of Snowflake Public Works has prepared menus of possible
actions. The Public Works determines appropriate actions before
initiation or at any time during a drought preparedness stage.
Each stage listed below, followed by a brief
description of the situation and the type of actions that may be
required.
Stage 1, Water Awareness Actions Available:
Applied locally or to all customers, as necessary with a 10%
desired reduction.
A potentially serious drought preparedness
conditions exists for all or part of the system. Initiate a
public awareness campaign to inform the public that the Town is
concerned about water uses and that staff is watching the water
sources and evaluating conditions on a daily basis. Encourage
public and internal users to voluntarily reduce water
consumption. Encourage town government to take the lead by
reducing water use.
Mandatory Restrictions:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
No internal mandatory restrictions
required.
b) Retail Customers:
No mandatory restrictions required.
Voluntary Request
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Staff will begin review of the
problems initiating Stage 1 actions and will identify
possible solutions to address the water shortage.
Seek voluntary reductions from
interruptible customers per rate ordinance or contract
terms.
Request leak detection and repairs
within the distribution system be intensified.
Encourage reductions in landscape
watering for parks and golf courses.
Flush only mains that are essential
for water quality maintenance and new construction.
Restrict Fire Department Hydrant Flow
Testing.
b) Retail Customers:
Encourage reductions in water usage
by avoiding excessive run-off from landscaped areas, the
hosing off of paved areas, the frequency of draining and
filling of, hot tubs and spas and other recreational
water uses.
Encourage efficient use of water for
all essential uses.
Notifications:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Notify staff and follow-up memo, of
Water Watch Stage #1 and request voluntary water use
reduction. Stress voluntary elimination of non-essential
uses.
b) External Customers:
Issue press release describing Water
Watch Stage #1 and the voluntary restrictions that apply
Distribute water conservation
materials to elementary and intermediate schools,
frequented businesses and community groups if
appropriate.
Post Water Watch notices at public
buildings including Town Hall, Post Office, Library and
Chamber of Commerce.
Water customers requested to practice
water conservation and minimize or discontinue water use
of non-essential services.
Encourage reduction of water use
through the publication of the voluntary landscape
watering schedule and request watering during off-peak
hours
Initiate public education campaign
teaching and encouraging reduced water use practices.
Penalties:
No penalties enforced at this time.
Stage 2, Water Watch Actions Available
Applied locally or to all customers, as necessary with a desired
10% to 20% reduction.
This situation has worsened and calls for an
internal restriction on outdoor water use. The public is
encouraged to conserve water on a volunteer basis and use all
water efficiently.
Mandatory Restrictions:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Monthly static testing will be
conducted.
Staff continues to review the
problems which initiated the Stage 2 actions.
Identifies and implements possible solutions to
address the water shortage.
Department staffs implement a self
audit and limit computerized water usage of town owned
recreation areas by 10% to 20% on the posted five-day
watering schedule.
Washing of any town vehicle, or
equipment be limited to the 5-day watering schedule.
Prohibit excessive water run-off
from any landscaped area onto streets, alleys or
parking lots. Run-off is excessive when it goes ten
(10) feet beyond the property line.
Prohibit hosing off paved areas,
buildings, windows or other surfaces.
Use of water from fire hydrants
limited to fire fighting, essential distribution
system maintenance and related activities.
Intensify leak detection and repair
activities on water pipes and mains.
Restrict the flushing of fire
hydrants, blow offs and service connections for new
main construction by special permit only.
b) Retail Customers:
No mandatory retail customer
restrictions apply at this time.
Voluntary Requests
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Mandatory restrictions apply.
b) Retail Customer:
Request that all automatic landscape
watering be limited to the five-day schedule as posted.
Watering with a hand-held hose or bucket can be done
anytime.
Request that washing of any motor
vehicle, bike, trailer, boat or airplane be limited to
the 5-day watering schedule.
Request that use of water to fill,
refill or add to an indoor or outdoor swimming pool,
wadding or Jacuzzi pools be limited to the 5-day
schedule.
Request that hosing off paved areas,
buildings, windows or other surfaces as well as
operation of aesthetic ornamental fountains be limited
to the 5-day schedule.
Request that restaurants only serve
water to customers that request water rather than
providing it to all customers independent of need or
desire.
Encourage efficient us of water for
all essential uses.
Use of construction water is
curtailed as much as possible.
Notifications:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Notify all departments of Water Watch
Stage #2 and the water use restrictions under this
stage. Instruct them to implement restrictions on
non-essential uses.
Distribute water emergency plan
details, posters and handouts to businesses and public
entities.
b) Retail customers:
Arizona Department of Water Resources
notified of Stage 2 restrictions.
Issue press release to area media
describing Water Watch Stage #2 and the water use
restrictions under this stage. Keep media updated on the
water situation.
Accelerate public education campaign
to promote and encourage efficient water use.
Penalties
No penalties enforced at this time.
Internal (Town of Snowflake) landscape and
vehicle washing activities beginning in
Stage 2 shall be limited to once every five
(5) days based on the last digit of the address per the schedule
below:
Table 2.2 Stage 2 and 3 Five-day Watering
Schedule
|
Last Digit of Address |
Allowed Water Dates |
|
0 or 5 |
5th 10th 15th
20th 25th 30th |
|
1 or 6 |
1st 6th 11th
16th 21st 26th |
|
2 or 7 |
2nd 7th 12th
17th 22nd 27th |
|
3 or 8 |
3rd 8th 13th
18th 23rd 28th |
|
4 or 9 |
4th 9th 14th
19th 24th 29th |
Stage 3, Water Warning Actions Available.
Applied locally or to all customers, as necessary with a desired
20% to 30% reduction.
The situation has deteriorated further and it
is necessary to implement mandatory external and internal
restrictions to protect public health and safety. Use stronger
language to intensify public awareness and alert the public of
the potential severity of the water shortage. Impose 20%
surcharge penalty for residential customers water use above
10,000 gallons per meter connection per billing cycle. Impose
20% surcharge penalty for commercial and industrial customers
for monthly water use above 75% of prior billing volumes for
prior billing cycle.
Mandatory Restrictions:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Staff continues to review the
problems which initiated the Stage 3 actions and
identifies and implements possible solutions to address
the water shortage. Irrigation of landscaped areas is
limited to the designated 5-day schedule between 9 pm
and 9 am.
Use of water to wash any town motor
vehicle not occurring at a commercial car wash and not
in the interest of public health, safety and welfare is
prohibited. Washing at commercial car washes shall occur
between 9 pm and 9 am.
Town nurseries shall water plant
stock only with low volume drip emitter systems between
9 pm and 9 am.
Use of water from fire hydrants is
limited to fire fighting, essential distribution system
maintenance and related activities.
Department staffs implement a self
audit and limit computerized water usage of town owned
recreation areas by 20 to 30 percent between the hours
of 9 pm and 9 am on the posted 5-day watering schedule.
Watering with a hand-held hose, or bucket can be done
anytime.
Prohibit excessive water run-off from
any town owned landscaped area onto streets, alleys or
parking lots through code enforcement warnings. Run-off
is excessive when it extends ten (10) feet beyond the
driveway and into the street.
Discontinue use of water for new
water line construction purposes from fire hydrants,
blow off and service connections.
b) Retail Customers
Irrigation of landscaped areas is limited
to the designated 5-day schedule between 9 pm and 9 am.
Use of water to wash any motor vehicle,
motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane etc. not occurring at a
commercial car wash and not in the interest of public
health, safety or welfare is prohibited. Washing at
commercial car washes shall occur between 9 pm and 9 am.
Residents shall use hand-held hoses to
maintain operation for existing Jacuzzis, spas. Ornamental
pond, fountains and foundations on the posted 5-day watering
schedule between 9 pm and 9am.
Nurseries shall water plant stock only
with low-volume drip emitter systems between the hours of 9
pm and 9 am on the 5-day watering schedule.
Prohibited excessive water run-off from
any landscaped areas onto streets, alleys, or parking lots
through code enforcement warnings. Run-off is excessive when
it extends beyond the driveway and into the street.
Service to interruptible customers is
temporarily suspended, including construction water.
Voluntary Requests
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
All restrictions are mandatory
b) Retail Customers:
Request that restaurants only serve water
to customers that request water rather than providing it to
all customers independent of need or desire.
Encourage sufficient use of water for all
essential uses.
Notifications
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Notify all departments of Water Watch
Stage #3 and the water use restrictions under this stage.
Instruct them to implement restrictions on non-essential
uses including street and vehicle washing and operation of
ornamental fountains and to implement restrictions on
essential uses.
Distribute water emergency plan details,
posters and handouts to businesses and public entities.
b) Retail Customers:
Arizona Department of Water Resources
notified of Stage 3 restrictions.
Issue press release to area media
describing Water Watch Stage #3 and the water use
restrictions under this stage. Keep media updated on the
water situation.
Accelerate public education campaign to
promote and encourage efficient water use.
Post Water Watch notices at public
buildings including Town Hall, Library, Post Office and
other public buildings.
Penalties:
Initiate a 20% rate increase for
residential customers for water usage greater than 10,000
gallons per account per billing cycle.
Impose a 20% surcharge penalty for
commercial and industrial customers for billing cycle use
above 75% of prior billing volume.
Initiate code enforcement fines for any
violation of the Drought Preparedness Plan.
Stage 4, Emergency Actions Available
Applied locally or to all customers, as necessary with a 40% or
greater reduction.
The situation is critical and it is necessary
to implement a total ban on all outside watering. The public
awareness campaign emphasizes the need for extreme measures and
stiff penalties.
Impose 20% surcharge penalty for residential
customer use above 6,000 gallons per meter connection per
billing cycle. Impose a 20% surcharge penalty for commercial and
industrial customers for monthly water use above 60% of prior
volumes for prior billing cycle.
Mandatory Restriction:
a) Internal: ( i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Staff continues to review the problems,
which initiated the Stage 4 actions and identifies and
implements possible solutions to address the water shortage.
Prohibit use of water from fire hydrants
to fire fighting, essential distribution system maintenance
and related activities.
Prohibit all town use of watering for
landscape purposes.
Prohibit all washing and rinsing of town
vehicles regardless of location.
Prohibit use of hose end sprinkler or
automatic sprinkler systems.
b) Retail Customers:
Prohibit all commercial and residential
landscape watering.
Prohibit all washing and rinsing of
vehicles regardless of the location.
Nurseries shall water plant stock only
between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am. They must adhere to the
5-day watering schedule.
Residents shall limit foundation watering
to a two hour period on the 5-day rotational schedule
between 9 pm and 9 am with soaker or hand held hose only.
Prohibit filling of hot tubs, spas,
ornamental ponds, and fountains.
Service to interruptible customers is
temporarily suspended.
Voluntary Requests
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
All restrictions are mandatory.
b) Retail Customers:
Request a 25% reduction on indoor water
uses.
Request that restaurants only serve water
to customers that request water rather than providing it to
all customers independent of need or desire.
Encourage efficient use of water for all
essential uses.
Seek voluntary reductions form
uninterruptible customers per rate ordinance or contract
terms.
Notifications:
a) Internal: (i.e. Town of Snowflake
Municipal uses only)
Notify all departments of Water Watch
Stage #4 and the water use restrictions under this stage.
Instruct them to implement restrictions on non-essential
uses including street and vehicle washing and operation of
ornamental fountains and to implement restrictions on
essential uses.
Distribute water emergency plan details,
posters, and handouts to businesses and public entities.
b) Retail Customers:
Arizona Department of Water Resources
notified of Stage 4 restrictions.
Issue press release to area media
describing Water Watch Stage #4 and the water use
restrictions under this stage. Keep media updated on the
water situation.
Accelerate public education campaign to
promote and encourage efficient water use.
Post Water Watch notices at public
buildings including Town Hall, Library, Post Office and
other public buildings.
Penalties:
Impose a 20% rate increase for
residential customers for water usage greater than 6,000
gallons per account per billing cycle.
Impose a 20% surcharge penalty for
commercial and industrial customers for billing cycle use
above 60% of prior billing volume.
Initiate code enforcement fines for any
violation of the Drought Preparedness Plan.
2.9 Water Use:
Retail Customers: During Stages 3 and 4
of the Drought Preparedness Plan, the Town of Snowflake may
impose a retail water rate increase to discourage water use.
Rates for residential customer usage of more than 10,000 gallons
per billing cycle per account in Stage 3 or above 6,000 gallons
per billing cycle per account in stage 4 may be increased by 20%
or any other lesser percentage deemed appropriate by the Town
Manager. A similar 20% rate increase for commercial and
industrial customers may be imposed for use exceeding 75% (stage
3) and 60% (stage 4) of prior billing volumes per billing cycle.
2.10 Enforcement:
Violations: A person commits an offense
if he or she knowingly makes, causes or permits a use of water
contrary to the measures implemented in the Drought Preparedness
Plan. It is presumed that a person has knowingly made, caused or
permitted use of water contrary to the measures implemented if
the mandatory measures have been implemented according to the
Plan and any one of the following conditions apply.
The Drought Preparedness Plan prohibits
the manner of use.
The amount of water used exceed that
allowed by the Drought Preparedness Plan.
The manner of use or the amount used
violates the terms and conditions of a compliance agreement
made following a variance granted by the Town Manager and/or
Council.
Any person in apparent control of the
property where a violation occurs or originates shall be
presumed to be the violator, and proof that the violation
occurred on the person’s property shall constitute a
refutable presumption that the person in apparent control of
the property committed the violation but any such person
shall have the right to show that he/she did not commit the
violation. Parents shall be presumed to be responsible for
their minor children and proof that a violation, committed
by a child, occurred on the property within control of the
parents shall constitute a refutable presumption that the
parent committed the violation. But any such parent may be
excused if he/she had previously directed the child not to
use the water as it was in violation of this Plan and that
the parent could not have reasonably known of the violation.
Any Code Enforcement Officer, Police
Officer or other Town of Snowflake employee designated by
the Assistant Town Manager/Utilities, may issue a citation
to a person he/she reasonably believes to be in violation of
this Ordinance. The citation shall be prepared in duplicate
and shall contain the name and address of the alleged
violator, if known, the offense charged and shall direct
him/her to appear in municipal court on the date shown on
the citation.
Warnings and Penalties: Stages 3 and 4 of
the Drought Preparedness Plan impose mandatory water-use
restrictions. The following warnings and penalties will apply to
these stages:
First Violation: Customers receive a
written warning that they have violated restrictions.
Subsequent Violations: Any person who
violates this Plan is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than
$2,000. Each day that one or more provisions in this Plan is
violated shall constitute a separate offense.
Flow restrictors may be placed in lines after
two (2) violations have occurred to limit the amount of water
passing through the meter in a 24-hour period. Instead of flow
restrictors the Town of Snowflake reserves the right to
temporarily cancel water service to the customer until the
situation can be resolved.
2.11 Variances:
Granting a Variance: The Town Manager may
grant variances from the Drought Preparedness Plan in special
cases to persons demonstrating extreme hardship and need. In
order to obtain a variance, the applicant must sign a compliance
agreement on forms provided by the Town of Snowflake and
approved by the Town Attorney. The applicant must agree to use
the water only in the amount and manner permitted by the
variance. A variance must meet the following conditions:
Granting of a variance must not cause
immediate significant reduction in the town’s water supply.
The applicant must demonstrate that the
extreme hardship or need is related to the health, safety or
welfare of the person requesting it.
The variance will not adversely effect
the health, safety or welfare of other persons.
No variance is retroactive nor can it justify
any violation of this Drought Preparedness Plan before it’s
issuance.
Revoking a Variance: The Town Manager may
revoke a variance granted when the Public Works Director
determines any one of the following:
Conditions causing initial issuance of
the variance are no longer applicable.
Violation of the terms of the compliance
agreement.
The health, safety or welfare of other
persons requires revocation.
2.12 Severability:
The Town of Snowflake Council agrees that the
sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this
Drought Preparedness Plan are severable. If any phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section of this Drought Preparedness Plan
is declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of
any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality
shall not effect any of the remaining phrases. clauses,
sentences, paragraphs and sections of this Drought Preparedness
Plan, since the same would not have been enacted by the Town of
Snowflake Council without the incorporation into this Drought
Preparedness Plan of any unconstitutional phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section.
2.13 Water Supply:
The water supply for the Town of Snowflake
currently consists of four wells. Well #1 pumps 425 gpm, well #
2 pumps 1200 gpm, well # 3 pumps 600 gpm and well # 4 pumps 800
gpm. The four wells totaled 433,408,060 gallons in 2005 and
459,836,500 gallons in 2006. The Town of Snowflake expects to
see a growth rate of 6% per year for the next 10 years.
2.14 Contact Personnel:
The following personnel are responsible for
directing operations during a water shortage emergency.
Curtis Winder
Lead Water Operator
928-536-7103 x 256
Gary Fenstermaker
Public Works Director
928-536-7103 x255
Jack Smith
Assistant Town Manager
928-536-7103, ext. 234
Mayor
928-536-7103
Town of Snowflake
81 West 1st South
Snowflake, Arizona 85937
(928) 536-7103
(928) 536-2539 FAX
public_works@ci.snowflake.az.us
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