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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-13Ordinance 2019-13 Ordinance Amending Section 86-129 of the Town Code Pertaining to Drought Declaration and Management ADOPTED: December 17, 2019 EFFECTIVE: December 17, 2019 Ordinance 2019-13 Ordinance Amending Section 86-129 of the Town Code Pertaining to Drought Declaration and Management WHEREAS, the recent drought has increased awareness of the effect of such weather on the availability of the water supply to the Town of Pulaski: and, WHEREAS, the Town Council directed the Town Staff to investigate and prepare appropriate measures to deal with future drought conditions which could result in a water supply emergency requiring the Town to initiate voluntary or mandatory conservation measures; and, WHEREAS, after study and consideration, the Town Engineer made recommendations concerning water level thresholds which were duly reviewed and considered by the Town Council; NOW, THEREFORE be it ORDAINED by the Town Council of the Town of Pulaski, Virginia sitting in regular session this 17th day of December 2019, that Section 86-129 of the Code of Ordinances, Town of Pulaski, Virginia is hereby amended as shown in Attachment A -Ordinance 2019-12, affixed hereto and made expressly part of this ordinance. This ordinance is effective upon adoption and is hereby adopted this 17th day of December 2019 by the duly recorded vote of the Town Council of Pulaski. Virginia as follows: Lane R. Penn -Aye Joseph K. Goodman -Aye Brooks R. Dawson -Aye G. Tyler Clontz -Aye Gregory C. East -Absent James A. Radcliffe -Aye THE TOW SKI, VIRG BY: vid L. Clark Mayor ATTEST David N. Quesenberry Clerk of Council Attachment A -Ordinance 2019-13 Sec. 86-129. - Drought declaration and management. (a) During the continued existence of climatic, hydrological and other extraordinary conditions, the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the town may require that certain uses of water, not essential to public health, safety and welfare, be reduced, restricted or curtailed. As the shortage of raw or potable water becomes increasingly more critical, conservation measures may become increasingly strict to further reduce consumption or curtail nonessential water use. (b) Under § 15.2-924 of the Code of Virginia, the town council is authorized to adopt an ordinance restricting the use of water by the citizens of the town for the duration of such emergency or for a period of time necessary to prevent the occurrence of a water supply emergency. (c) The Engineering Department of the town is responsible for the routine monitoring of the town's water supplies. The Engineering Department will notify the Town Manager and the Town Council when water supply conditions approach or pass the water level indicators developed by the Town of Pulaski Engineering Department with reference to the New River Valley's Regional Water Supply Plan. The indicators and general classifications of actions to be taken shall be as follows: Drought Phase Level Below Full Pond General Action Response Watch Ten Feet to Fifteen Feet Below Water levels shall be monitored Full Pond and measured on a weekly basis with measurements reported to the Administration and Town Council. Additional measures under Phase 1 -Drought Watch of the NRV Water Supply Plan may be initiated as needed. Warning Fifteen to Twenty Feet Below Voluntary conservation measures Full Pond shall be publicized through print media; electronic mass media; and social media. Additional measures under Phase 2 -Drought Warning of the NRV Water Supply Plan may be initiated as needed. Emergency Twenty Feet or More Below Mandatory conservation measures Full Pond are imposed using restrictions and all other measures deemed necessary and prudent to prevent depletion of the Town's water supply. Additional measures under Phase 2 -Drought Emergency of the NRV Water Supply Plan may be initiated as needed. At such time as the Town Council is informed of an imminent water supply emergency, it will authorize the Town Manager to manage said water supply emergency. (d) Upon declaration of a water emergency, the Town Manager shall immediately issue a notice of the emergency which shall be placed in local or regional print media; local and regional electronic broadcast media; and in social media of the area in which such emergency has been declared. (e) The Town Manager shall instruct the Town Engineer to notify customers of necessary, voluntary or mandatory water use restrictions as outlined in the New River Valley's Regional Water Supply Plan in addition to any other voluntary or mandatory water use restriction deemed necessary due to extenuating circumstances of a water supply emergency affecting the Town of Pulaski. In exercising this authority, the Town Engineer shall give due consideration to water levels, available/useable storage on hand, draw down rates, and the projected supply capability, system purification and pumping capacity, daily water consumption and consumption projections of the system's customers, prevailing and forecast weather conditions, fire service requirements, pipeline conditions including breakages, stoppages and leaks, supplementary source data, estimates of minimum essential supplied to preserve public health and safety and other such data pertinent to the past, current and projected water demands and any other measures, data or information concerning procedures, processes, consumption and performance of the water system deemed pertinent to or otherwise of a critical necessity for preservation of the water supply of the Town. (f) Upon determination of a water supply emergency, the Town Manager shall determine water conservation measures to be observed by the residents of the town. Contained in the New River Valley's Regional Water Supply Plan are a set of example measures that could be implemented at each phase of a water supply emergency or drought. The Town Manager is authorized to enact any additional measures as deemed necessary to preserve the remaining water supply of the Town for the duration of the water supply emergency. (g) The Town Manager shall notify the Town Council when the indicators have been met that the water emergency situation no longer exists. Upon concurrence of the Town Council, the water emergency shall be declared to have ended. When this declaration is made, the information shall be conveyed to the general public through print, electronic and social media. I, David N. Quesenberry, Clerk of the Council, of the Town of Pulaski Virginia, do hereby certify that the forgoing Ordinance 2019-13, "Ordinance Amending Section 86- 129 of the Town Code Pertaining to Drought Declaration and Management" is a true and correct copy of the Ordinance set out and adopted by the recorded vote of the Town Council of Pulaski, Virginia on December 17, 2019. David N. Quesenberry Clerk of Council