In light of the area’s recent water issues, Price City Council spent a large portion of its meeting Wednesday discussing ways to conserve water.
Gary Sonntag, Price City’s Public Works Director and city engineer, was in attendance to explain ways the city could conserve water.В He discussed three ways the city could do so effectively.
First, he advised the council implement voluntary water conservation in lieu of waterВ restrictions. Second, revise water rate structures to increase the cost per gallon used beyond the base amount of 10,000 gallons. And third, curtailing outside watering on Sundays to stabilize water tank storage while weekly treatment plant maintenance is done.
Sonntag recommended voluntary water conservation, compared to what the city did in 1992, when the city faced a similar drought.
“There is no reason at this point for panic because of the dry winter, spring, or summer,” he said. “But it needs to be controlled. Thoughts went back to the 1992 drought which was very severe, where the lake in mid November got down to a point where almost no water could get out of the reservoir to the outlet.”
“However, we ought not put up mandatory restrictions, as was done back in 1992,” Sonntag continued. “We found out unfortunately, that when we put restrictions, people began to rise up and boost their schedule to an excess, and in turn, used more water than if they were not under restriction.”
Sonntag said educating the public on how to water lawns conservatively would be a more effective plan.
“We think it is probably a better approach that we convert our plan of energy into a plan of conservation, specifically in educating people to understand how to better water their yards and still have a reasonably good-looking yard,” he said.
Though he hopes it won’t come to it, Sonntag suggested a $.25 raise per gallon after the allotted 10,000 gallon base amount to curtailВ carelessness in water usage.
Councilmen approved the item.
Other notes from the meeting:
Councilmen discussed the upcoming International Days Celebration. “We would like to have a new form already made up for 2012 and ask the vendors if they would like to sign up a year in advance with the option that they could back out within thirty days prior to the event, so that if anything were to happen, we could get their money back to them,” said Councilman Wayne Clausing. He also discussed trying to encourage the current vendors and new vendors to sign up early so there won’t be a struggle to find vendors for the event. Councilmen also approved giving those who sign up a $10 off sign-up waiver.В For more information on the event, call Clausing or Councilman Rick Davis.
The city held a public meeting for the Price City CommunityВ DevelopmentВ and Urban Renewal Agency on the consideration and possible approval of a water infrastructure installation project and funding authorization up to $150,000.
The Council approved a conditional use permit for the Planning and Zoning Commission for the following parcels:
- JK Bon Bon’s. 900 East Main Street.
- Elk’s Private Club. 57 West Main Street.
- Land and Development of existing structure on 202 North 200 East.
В