Zionsville Town Council President Tim Haak has signed an Emergency Executive Order on Water Conservation Declaration at 9:00 a.m. this morning. The order will take effect at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Friday, July 20).

Full Executive Order – Signed Document: 7/19/2012 Signed Emergency Executive Order on Water Conservation Declaration (PDF)

With this Order, the Town has the ability/authority to enforce the provisions of the conservation order (which is modeled after the action Fisher’s took).

Town Staff – specifically police officers, fire Dept. staff, and the building inspectors will collaboratively work together to enforce the provisions of the order.

To Report a Violation: Call 317-873-1592 and leave a message with the following information related to the location of water usage:  Address, date and time of usage, and method of water usage (such as watering of a lawn or trees, car wash, filling of a pool)  Messages will be retrieved on a routine basis, and will be promptly investigated.

Major Provision of the order are:

1. During the pendency of this water conservation order, it shall be unlawful for a water user, defined as any customer or other individual, firm, corporation, government, agency, or other entity using water within the Town of Zionsville from the Citizens Water system, to cause, permit, allow, do, or engage in any of the following actions:

a. Sprinkling, watering, or irrigating of grass;

b. Washing cars, trucks, trailers, mobile homes, railroad cars or any other type of mobile equipment, except as required by applicable local, state, or federal law for health or safety reasons;

c. Using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, paved areas, structures, buildings, or other outdoor surfaces;

d. Filling empty swimming pools;

e. Installing new landscaping or new lawn by using sod until a return to normal conditions is declared by a subsequent Executive Order;

f. Using hydrants except for fire suppression or as otherwise directed by Citizens Energy Group; and

g. Operating water fountains that are non-recycling.

2. a. The following water users and uses are hereby exempted from these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order:

i. Nurseries;

ii. Automatic commercial car washes;

iii. Manual commercial car washes;

iv. Golf courses;

v. Any watering of property owned or controlled by the Zionsville Department of Parks and Recreation as determined by my designee, the Department Superintendent; and

vi. Users with their own wells.

b. Watering vegetable gardens and flowers by container or hand-held hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle and watering trees less than five (5) years old are exceptions to these mandatory conservation measures during the pendency of this water conservation order.

3. Personnel of the Town of Zionsville designated by me and/or the Town Manager are hereby directed to use vigilance in enforcing the provisions of this Executive Order until such time as it is rescinded upon termination of this water conservation order.

4. Any violators of this Executive Order for water conservation will be penalized as follows:

- First violation: Warning

- Second violation within a year of first violation: $250

- Third violation within a year of the second violation: $500

- Fourth violation (and subsequent violations), within a year of the third violation: up to $2,500.

Source: Town of Zionsville