Grantsville residents face new restrictions as to when they can water their lawns after a water conservation ordinance was approved by the Grantsville City Council Wednesday night.
The new ordinance would not allow residents to water their lawn or grass between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. It’s the city’s first water conservation ordinance and only restricts water provided by Grantsville City.
Violators will first receive a warning from the city but on subsequent offenses, the city may assess a water waste fee of $250. The fines will be assessed at the discretion of the city on a case-by-case basis.
Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said the ordinance was part of the requirements the city had to meet when applying for a state Department of Natural Resources loan. The loan would be part of the funding for the Main Street sewer and water project expected to cost around $8 million and be complete before the roadway is reconstructed in 2019.
The original ordinance included more serious punishments for violations, including misdemeanor charges and possible jail time. Councilman Tom Tripp amended the ordinance to remove the sections including the harsher punishments. He also questioned how the ordinance would be enforced.
“I don’t really want to put down an ordinance that is going to send someone to jail for watering their lawn,” Tripp said. “I think that’s way over the top.”
The ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Neil Critchlow the sole dissenting vote.