With a severe drought raging, the Adel City Hall issued a tier-one water warning Friday, temporarily restricting residents in many common uses of water.
According to the water warning, in the 24-hour period that ended at 7 a.m. Friday, water use in Adel spiked to 813,000 gallons, an amount equaling 95.6% of the system’s capacity and the third-highest demand on record for the Adel Municipal Water System.
With Adel designated as in a Severe Drought condition — parts of Dallas County are in an Extreme Drought — the city issued a water watch July 7, encouraging residents to reduce their water use. Compliance with the water watch has been minimal, according to the Adel City Hall.
The tier-one water warning includes the following prohibitions:
- Outdoor watering or irrigation of lawns is prohibited.
- Car washing is prohibited (except at commercial establishments).
- Filling private pools or ponds is prohibited.
- Washing streets, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, or building exteriors is prohibited.
- Nonessential cleaning of commercial and industrial equipment, machinery, and interior spaces is prohibited.
- Water shall be served at restaurants only upon request of the customer.
- Tank load water sales may be curtailed or eliminated.
Under the water warning, violators will be assessed the following surcharges:
- For a first violation, the city will issue a written notice of violation to the water user.
- For a second violation within a 12-month period, a $100 administrative surcharge will be imposed on the customer’s account plus 200% of the fiscal year’s highest month’s water bill.
- For a third or subsequent violation within a 12-month period, a $500 administrative surcharge will be imposed plus 200% of the fiscal year’s highest month’s water bill. In addition, the city will interrupt water service at the premises where the violation occurred. Service will not be restored until the customer has paid the surcharge and the reconnection fee and has provided reasonable assurance that future violations of the water warning use restrictions will not occur.
The water warning is driven by significant outdoor watering and irrigation, according to the Adel City Hall. Customers of the Xenia Rural Water District are not included in the city’s water warning.
The tier-one water warning is completely different and separate from the city’s recently lifted boil advisory.
For more information, call the Adel City Hall at 515-993-4525.
