City urges alternate yard watering plan

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Worried about fire protection, the City of Mountain Home is begging people to conserve water and is close to imposing mandatory restrictions.

"Voluntary water restrictions are not working and city officials are concerned about potential fire protection problems if water demands on certain days of the week are not reduced," the city said in a prepared statement.

City officials requested that customers restrict outside watering to three days per week, depending on their street address. Residents with an even numbered address should water Monday, Wednesday and Friday and customers with an odd numbered address should water Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The city also is requesting that no outside watering be done on Sundays.

"Currently, the demand on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is so high that the city's wells can't keep up, which causes the storage tank levels to drop below safe levels for fire protection," the city said in its statement.

"The city does not want to enforce mandatory watering restrictions, but if the voluntary restrictions do not work, the city must act to assure that there is adequate fire protection storage. The city would greatly appreciate your cooperation to help get through this difficult summer."

Although the city could invoke its mandatory restrictions ordinance by calling an emergency meeting of the city council, the current ordinance lacks any serious teeth and city officials are concerned about how they would manage to notify everyone, so as to be fair in enforcing it.

They're hoping voluntary efforts will solve the problem.

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Lead by example and not water the parks as much. One behind my house is watered twice a day everyday. Also MHSD needs a talking to about conservation.

-- Posted by B Mullen on Wed, Jul 31, 2013, at 8:53 AM
Wouldn't it be less confusing for even numbered homes to water on even numbered days? I know of one Idaho town who actually uses their police force to enforce the ordinance. Violators get two warnings for watering on the wrong day, the third violation is a $100 fine.

-- Posted by mtnhomemama on Thu, Aug 1, 2013, at 9:45 AM
Another display of a lack of caring about the community by local leaders. Was at Motor Vehicles today about 2PM and what happens? Yep, the sprinklers come on so the grass will be wet during the hottest part of the day. I don't know about others but we don't water in the middle of the day when DEMAND is higher.

-- Posted by B Mullen on Thu, Aug 1, 2013, at 3:57 PM
I will support this effort.

-- Posted by GetRealNow on Fri, Aug 2, 2013, at 10:40 AM
And the city is giving their employees a raise....must be for all the hard work.

-- Posted by Trouble2011 on Fri, Aug 2, 2013, at 12:01 PM
It would help to stop watering the pavement also ( ahem mhjh )

-- Posted by just1 on Fri, Aug 2, 2013, at 2:17 PM
I don't mind the fact that we have to limit our watering however I do mind the fact that the city does not seem to honor the same limits. I walk every day at 7 in the morning and the sprinklers at Legacy Park are on. Not only are they on but they are watering the sidewalks and the road. I think the city should also have to limit the time they water. Why shouldn't they have to abide by the limits?

-- Posted by diannec on Sat, Aug 3, 2013, at 4:36 PM

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