This phase is active unless a formal drought declaration or an infrastructure driven need is established. Public education programs will emphasize conservation practices that need to be incorporated into our daily water use. The City of Grand Forks will address enforcement of all existing city ordinances that influence water use or misuse.

Voluntary Sprinkling Recommendations:

1. Recommend sprinkling between hours of 4 am to 11 am twice a week.

The Phase 2 – Drought Advisory triggers activation of the Drought Action Committee (DAC) and a more intensive monitoring review of climatic conditions, river flows, and reservoir levels. The water utility will implement a public information program to provide customers with an understanding of the state of the water shortage conditions and the need for voluntary action to be initiated.

Grand Forks Water Department staff will direct their resources to enforcement of all existing city ordinances that influence water use or misuse. City departments will assist the utility in their efficiency efforts. Other demand reduction measures are as follows:

Water Use Demand Reduction Elements of Drought Advisory Actions

Essential Uses: Fire fighting and medical uses – no restrictions.

Water Department: Mandatory system conservation.

Other City Departments: Mandatory implementation of individual department response efforts for targeted 5-10% reduction in water use.

Residential: Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with outdoor watering schedule as designated. Calls and reminders of the policy will be used to remind consumers of the drought advisory condition.

Voluntary residential and commercial sprinkling policy:

1. Odd numbered houses – limit sprinkling to Monday and Thursday between hours of 4 am to 11 am (limited to twice a week).

2. Even numbered houses – limit sprinkling to Tuesday and Friday between hours of 4 am to 11 am (limited to twice a week).

Commercial: Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated outdoor use schedule, plumbing retrofit, employee awareness, and water use planning.

Industrial: Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated outdoor use schedule, plumbing retrofit, employee awareness, and water use planning.

Landscape Watering: Voluntary reduction of use by compliance with designated outdoor watering schedule.

Golf Courses: Voluntary compliance with designated golf course irrigation schedule established by the Water Department for golf courses (Lincoln, Ray Richards and Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) Golf Course. Water Department to notify golf courses and request reduced golf course watering in compliance with the reduced watering schedule and to avoid water waste.

Vegetable Gardens: Voluntary compliance with designated watering schedule.

Other Outdoor Uses: Allowing water to run off into a street, alley, right-of-way, gutter or drain, or failure to repair a controllable leak is prohibited. These are perception issues and are defined as “waste.” Hoses should not be used to clean hard surfaced areas except to alleviate health or fire hazards. It is highly recommended that hoses used for washing vehicles of any kind, or any other uses, must have positive shut off valves.

Construction: Voluntary compliance with designated watering schedule.

Upon declaration by the DAC of a Phase 3 – Drought Watch, some drought response elements will become mandatory and will be enforced.  If and when the Water Department becomes aware of any water misuse, the Department has the authority to take action, including installation of flow reduction devices, rationing, or other mandatory measures up to and including disconnection of service. The Department also has the authority to take other enforcement actions as necessary to assure compliance with the required water use reduction. Demand reduction measures are as follows:

Water Use Elements of Drought Watch Actions

Essential Uses: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

Water Department: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory. Intensify public education programs. Expansion of leak detection and repair program and mandatory operational demand reduction by department personnel.

Other City Departments: Mandatory implementation of individual department response efforts for targeted 10-20% reduction in water use.

Residential: Mandatory reduction in water use from compliance with outdoor designated water use schedule for targeted 10-20% reduction in water use.

Mandatory residential and commercial sprinkling policy:

1. Odd numbered houses – limit sprinkling to Monday and Thursday between hours of 4 am to 11 am (limited to twice a week).

2. Even numbered houses – limit sprinkling to Tuesday and Friday between hours of 4 am to 11 am (limited to twice a week). Violators will be issued written warnings.

Commercial: Mandatory reduction of use by 10-20%. Includes reduction achieved in voluntary outdoor water use restrictions and plumbing retrofits. Restaurants asked to serve water to customers only on request. Display public notice.

Industrial: Motivate voluntary reduction of use by 10-20%. Includes reduction achieved in voluntary outdoor water use restrictions.

Landscape Watering: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

Golf Courses: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

Vegetable Gardens: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

Other Outdoor Uses: Washing of hard surfaces is prohibited, except washing to alleviate health or fire hazards. Washing personal and commercial vehicles is limited to the assigned watering day with hand-held hose with a positive shut-off valve, bucket, or commercial washers.

Construction: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

The DAC may declare a Phase 4 – Drought Warning when a supply insufficiency has occurred, and Phase 3 water use reduction measures and other water supply augmentation measures will be insufficient to meet water demands in the service area without further restrictions. Upon implementation by the Water Department, mandatory water use reduction programs will be implemented and the appropriate surcharge or surcharges will be recalculated and applied to increase demand reduction and to meet the increased regulation and enforcement expenses (Level 2 Demand Reduction). Demand reduction measures are as follows:

Water Use Elements of Drought Warning Actions

Essential Uses: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory.

Water Department: Same as Phase 3 – Drought Advisory, plus increased surcharges to meet escalated drought expenses and to motivate increased demand reduction. Surcharges may be uniform or selective in nature, in keeping with the drought ordinance.

Other City Departments: Mandatory implementation of individual department response efforts for targeted 20-30% reduction in water use.

Residential: Mandatory restriction on outdoor water use in compliance with schedule designated by the Water Department. Increased emphasis on voluntary changes in water use behavior. Warnings and fines will be issued.

Mandatory Restrictions:

1. No lawn watering – essential home use only.

2. No personal car washing or outdoor water use – essential home use only.

Commercial: Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use. Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes to gain maximum resource efficiency. Continue employee awareness. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. Restaurants to withhold water service to tables, except upon request. Display public notice.

Industrial: Mandatory restriction of outdoor water use, as in residential and commercial. Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes to gain maximum resource efficiency. Continue employee awareness. Ask for voluntary shut down of some operations or a 5% reduction in water use.

Landscape Watering: A mandatory restriction on lawn watering consistent with those limits set for residential water use will be applied. New installation to be discouraged during drought.

Vegetable Gardens: Mandatory compliance with designated outdoor watering schedule.

Other Outdoor Uses: Same as Phase 3 – Drought Watch. Personal and commercial vehicles only to be washed at a commercial facility.

Construction: A water service connection for new construction to be approved only if low flow fixtures and appliances are used for indoor plumbing. Construction water for consolidation of backfill, dust control, or other uses would be reviewed by the Water Department on an individual basis. Fire hydrant use for construction water to be prohibited. Existing permittees shall be subject to random audit and time of day restrictions. Violations of restrictions shall result in loss of permit and possible fines.

The DAC shall initiate a Phase 5 – Drought Emergency when Phase 4 supply and use reduction programs are insufficient to stay within available water demands. In addition to any other remedy available, the Department is authorized to implement surcharges for water use other than those approved by the DAC. Goal is to reduce demand to match available supplies. Phase 5 programs will be terminated when supplies return to Phase 4 levels (Drought Warning). Demand reduction measures are as follows:

Water Use Elements of Drought Emergency Actions

Essential Uses: Same as Phase 2 – Drought Advisory. Uses are subject to review and re-evaluation of criticality.

Water Department: Implementation of all measures and increased surveillance of compliance with water restrictions.

Other City Departments: Mandatory 30 percent decrease in water consumption. Departments subject to water use auditing and potential; loss of connection for violations.

Residential: Ban on outdoor water use. Will ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. Will require compliance and enforce shutdown with limited hours of outdoor water use.

Mandatory Restrictions:

1. No lawn watering – essential home use only.

2. No personal car washing or outdoor water use – essential home use only.

Commercial: Ban on outdoor water use. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations and require limited hours of use.

Industrial: Ban on outdoor water use, as in residential and commercial.  Mandatory re-evaluation of all water use processes and/or exemptions to gain maximum resource efficiency. Continue employee awareness. May ask for voluntary shut down of some operations. May require and enforce shutdowns or limit hours of use. Goal of 5- 10% reduction by major industrial users.

Landscape Watering: A mandatory restriction on lawn watering consistent with those limits set for residential water use will be applied. No golf course watering will be allowed using treated water. Enforcement fines will be issued. New landscape installation to be banned.

Vegetable Gardens: Mandatory compliance with designated outdoor watering schedule.

Other Outdoor Uses: Same as Phase 3 – Drought Watch. Personal and commercial vehicles would only be washed at a commercial facility. All water waste would be avoided.

Construction: A water service connection for new construction will not be approved. Fire hydrant use for construction water will be prohibited.