567 Water Conservation IrrigationCITY OF YELM
RESOLUTION NUMBER 567
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 2016
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, 539, 550, and 556 which
continued the water conservation program from 2011 through 2015; 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 1,500,000 cubic feet (34.44 AF).
3. Written notice of the annual water budget shall be provided to each irrigation meter
customer.
4. Irrigation meters will be read weekly during the irrigation season and notice of weekly
usage above that predicted by the Washington Irrigation Guide will be provided to
irrigation utility customers.
5. When the water budget for the year has been used, the irrigation meter will be locked.
6. The City will irrigate with reclaimed water all planter strips in the public right of way, as
needed.
7. Residential water conservation is encouraged by the City of Yelm and private covenants
requiring residential irrigation of property are suspended.
APPROVED this 24nd d f _Uarth, 2016.
Roof Harding, Mayor
ATTEST:
Panin&e�S_
chnepf, City Cler