550 Irrigation Conservation 2014CITY OF YELM
RESOLUTION NUMBER 550
RESTRICTING THE USE OF WATER FOR IRRIGATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 13.04.097 YELM
MUNICIPAL CODE AND ESTABLISHING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES IN 2014
WHEREAS, Section 13.04.097 YMC states that the City reserves the right for any
cause to make any order regulating forbidding or restricting the use of water for
irrigation or sprinkling or any other non-essential outside usage; and
WHEREAS, irrigation water through irrigation meters within the City of Yelm used
68.7 acre feet of water in 2009, enough water to provide potable water for 285 homes;
and
WHEREAS, irrigation water through irrigation meters accounted for 8.5% of all
water used in Yelm in 2009; and
WHEREAS, irrigation water usage significantly adds to the peak demand needs of
the City of Yelm water system, requiring costly infrastructure improvements including
source capacity, storage, and distribution lines, and
WHEREAS, the City conducted a water audit that shows almost twice as much
water is used to irrigate commercial landscaping and recreational open space as is
required to keep these areas healthy and productive; and
WHEREAS, the City utilized the Washington Irrigation Guide, published by the
National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and data from the Environmental
Protection Agency to determine that typical landscaping plants comprised of trees and
shrubs require 11.53 inches of irrigation water per season in the Yelm area to remain
healthy and productive; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to promote water conservation by watering street
trees (trees in the public right of way) only as needed during the irrigation season with
reclaimed water and allowing grass in planter strips within the public right of way to go
dormant; and
WHEREAS, many private storm ponds within residential and commercial
developments have irrigation systems that were installed to establish storm pond
plantings but are not required for long term maintenance of the ponds; and
WHEREAS, residential irrigation is not metered separately through irrigation
meters but is a significant portion of total water usage in Yelm; and
WHEREAS, residential homeowners associations often have covenants and
restrictions that require lots to be maintained in a manner which requires significant
irrigation of lawns; and
WHEREAS, these covenants are not required by any City development regulation
and conflict with water conservation policies; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 510 which established a water
conservation program based on these tenets in 2010 which resulted in a significant
reduction in irrigation water usage; and
Whereas, the City Council adopted Resolutions 522, 531, and 539 which
continued the water conservation program from 2011 through 2013; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to promote water conservation in order to use
its water supply in the most efficient manner possible, limiting discretionary use;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Yelm
that the following water conservation measures be undertaken immediately.
1. The Community Development Director shall establish a water budget for every
irrigation meter customer that limits the annual amount of irrigation water allowed
for each irrigation meter. The water budget shall be based on:
• The area of landscaping on the site, excluding storm ponds and planter
strips within the public street right of way.
• An annual irrigation rate of 11.53 inches of water.
2. The total amount of water allocated for irrigation meter customers shall be no
greater than 1,466,496 cubic feet (33.67 AF).
2. Written notice of the annual water budget shall be provided to each irrigation
meter customer.
3. Irrigation meters will be read weekly during the irrigation season and notice of
weekly usage will be provided to irrigation utility customers.
4. When the water budget for the year has been used, the irrigation meter will be
locked.
5. The City will irrigate with reclaimed water all planter strips in the public right of
way, as needed.
6. Residential water conservation is encouraged by the City of Yelm and private
covenants requiring residential irrigation of property are suspended.
APPROVED this 22nd day of April, 2014.
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Ron Harding, Mayor
ATTEST:
nine Schnepf, City Clef k