Intertie with Spokane moves forward as dry months approach, city officials to revisit how much water should be allowed per household
By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
A wet spring has so far kept the need for irrigation low in Medical Lake, but city officials are looking for water solutions before shortages begin in the dry summer months.
Medical Lake Mayor John Higgins said the city is getting closer to purchasing water from Spokane on a contingency basis via an intertie at Craig Road. The city has held about $100,000 for a booster station and hookup fees since last year and Higgins said he'll meet with Spokane Mayor Mary Verner June 21 to sign off on an agreement. “We want to get this started as soon as possible,” he said.
City officials are also considering how they might find water solutions on paper. City planner Glen Scholten said the Medical Lake comprehensive plan sets the level of service standard for potable water at 1,000 gallons per day per residence.
“I don't think anybody uses that much water, but that's what we have to go by when figuring out how many houses can be built in the city based on the water we have,” he told members of the planning commission last month.
Scholten said no more building permits are available for new construction because the city's level of service standard is so high, adding that he's seen other cities with standards set at 750, 500 or even 300 gallons per day.
“Why we have a 1,000-gallon level of service is beyond us. We don't know,” he said. “But if we could lower that we would on paper free up half of it. We could construct as many houses and subdivisions as we needed to do and not have a problem.”
City Administrator Doug Ross said the city is reviewing residential water usage to determine a realistic level of service, but it's not easy. Wintertime levels can run as low as 600 to 800 gallons a month, he said, while a much higher summertime usage skews averages when residents start watering lawns and gardens.
“Eventually we need to look at what reasonable expectation people should expect of having irrigation water and how much in the summertime because that's what this boils down to,” Ross said. “It's important to note that we don't have water issues in the wintertime. When we pound into people's heads, conserve, conserve, conserve, it's all about outside irrigation.”
As in past years, from June through September the city's water conservation ordinance is in effect, prohibiting irrigation between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. This reduces the amount of water lost to evaporation and allows the city's reservoir to recharge during the day, which keeps the well from drawing down, Ross said.
This will be the second year the city has employed a full time code enforcement officer, Don Mayfield, who, along with other city staff, will watch for water violations. “This isn't foolproof, but we did notice a decrease (in violations) last year, definitely,” Ross said.
The goal isn't to punish residents, Ross said, but to get people to stop overusing a limited resource for the sake of a green lawn. Mayfield said when he sees a violation he first issues a written warning, followed by an $87 citation. If a resident still refuses to comply with the ordinance a misdemeanor charge is likely.
The city has previously stopped irrigating parklands at the peak of the dry season and Ross said the school district has always been cooperative when asked to do the same with their fields.
This summer the city may instigate another model for water conservation – xeriscaping. Since last year Ross has been working with the Spokane County Conservation District to establish this drought-tolerant landscaping at the SCOPE building on the corner of Brooks and Lefevre streets. He said he's now waiting on the SCCD to visit the site and either give guidance or install xeriscape plantings for the city.
“What I hope to accomplish is to have a sort of display where people in the West Plains can come if they are looking for landscaping alternatives that may use less water,” Ross said.
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)