Revised Water Management Plan Changes Designated Day Schedule for Some Property Owners

City to provide signs for private well owners

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 26, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Chris Beutler has approved a revised Water Management Plan for the City that will affect designated day outdoor watering schedules for apartment complexes and commercial properties. The plan is used to implement watering restrictions when the City’s water supplies are decreased and the demand for water increases.

“I want to thank the community for responding well when we implemented outdoor watering restrictions last summer,” said Mayor Beutler. “We had many questions come up during that time, so we have reviewed the plan to look for ways we can encourage better compliance and address problem areas.” The Mayor said the City also has reviewed the enforcement of mandatory water restrictions and will propose changes in May for City Council approval.

If mandatory restrictions are implemented, the designated day watering schedule will remain the same for single-family and duplex properties:

Properties with street addresses ending in even numbers, including zero, will be required to limit outdoor water use (watering lawns and washing vehicles) to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Properties with addresses ending in odd numbers will be required to limit outdoor watering to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Under the revised plan, if mandatory restrictions are implemented, apartment complexes and commercial properties will be required to limit outdoor watering to Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays regardless of address. Letters are being sent this week to irrigation and landscape contractors and property management companies to begin sharing the changes and the revised plan. Other properties affected by the change include governmental properties, street medians and single-family properties with a common irrigation system, such as townhome developments.

“The goal of these changes is to reduce confusion about watering violations and to eliminate the need for some property owners to declare an alternate schedule,” said Jerry Obrist, Chief Engineer for the Lincoln Water System (LWS). “The three-day option also is intended to allow flexibility. By limiting watering to one or two days per week, property owners can maintain most landscapes with less expense while helping to conserve our water supplies.

Letters also will be sent to owners of private wells to inform them of changes intended to reduce confusion about watering violations:

Owners of private wells are encouraged but not required to follow the designated day watering schedule and other restrictions imposed on LWS customers.
If the Mayor implements mandatory water use restrictions, private well owners will be required to post a sign on each property that is served by the well. The City will supply the signs at no charge. For homes and businesses, owners must post the signs so they are visible from the street. For areas not directly associated with a structure, yard signs will be available to pick up at the LWS Operations Center, 2021 N. 27th Street, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

For more information, call the Water Management Hotline at 402-441-1212 or visit water.lincoln.ne.gov.

Contact:
Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 402-441-7831
Jerry Obrist, Lincoln Water System, 402-441-7571