City council adopts resolution to move city off of urgency ordinance and onto stage 3 water conservation regulations
By Paul Myers @PaulM_SGN
EXETER – Things are starting to shift back to normal when it comes to Exeter’s water. Last week the Exeter city council voted to move away from the urgency ordinance passed in June and toward a more normal conservation measure in stage 3.
The City was put in a pinch early this summer, and so were residents, when water pressure was at a frustrating low for two weeks. With a major City well down but peak demand creeping up because of triple digit heat, the situation forced the City to move watering times to 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.– 4:00 a.m. to try and keep demand tempered.
“We knew the ordinance wasn’t perfect but we had to do something to alleviate the problem at the time,” public works director Daymon Qualls said.
Now with Well E13-W, at the corner of Filbert and Belmont, back on line and July behind them city staff and the city council decided to implement stage 3 of their water conservation ordinance.
“With Well 13 back online, the City’s water pressure has resumed to normal conditions,” Qualls added.
Qualls added the City has not had any issues with water pressure since Well E13-W came back into production. Meeting peak demand has not been a problem either because of the time implemented by the urgency ordinance. Going to stage 3 does help solve some problems the urgency ordinance incidentally created.
City manager Adam Ennis said the late night hours of timing was difficult for people who still water their lawn and plants by hand. Elderly residents found the urgency ordinance difficult to comply with because if they watered by hand during the night time hours it was difficult for them to see.
Stage 3 of the City’s water conservation ordinance brings watering times to after 8:00 p.m. and only before 7:00 a.m. on designated watering days. Odd numbered residences can water for two days on Wednesdays and Sundays. Even numbered residences can water for two days as well, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Draining or filling pools, wading pools or spas are prohibited. Although per council’s direction, exceptions can be made with a “Pool Draining Permit” which must be submitted to the City’s public works department for review and approval.
Stage 3 also prohibits washing automobiles on an immediate residence. Instead cars, trucks, trailers, boats or other types of vehicles must be washed at a commercial car wash or a supervised hand car wash.
