Twin Falls Goes to Designated Watering Days

TWIN FALLS -- Starting today, city water customers are supposed to irrigate only on designated days.

On Tuesday the City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance addressing water conservation measures.

If your residence or business has an even-numbered address, you are to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. If your address has an odd number, you are to irrigate Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Everyone is to avoid watering between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., as too much evaporation occurs during the middle of the day.

The city is also encouraging drip irrigation systems, and vehicles are to be washed only on scheduled irrigation days.

City officials took the measures in light of the city's discovery that the Blue Lakes springs source has diminished by 30 percent from what was available 50 years ago. Twin Falls gets up to 70 percent of its water from the springs during certain times of the year.

Over the past five years, engineers have determined the source was being reduced by about 3 percent a year. During that time south-central Idaho has been in a drought. In addition, farmers who used to recharge the aquifer on the north side of the Snake River have changed their irrigation methods so that recharge is not occurring to the extent that it did before the 1950s.

To make matters worse, the area seemed to be returning to an almost normal water year after winter accumulations, but the National Weather Service says the watershed from where south-central Idaho gets most of its water is once again in a drought that is as bad as it gets.

For now, officials are in the mode of educating residents to reduce the water they use. But if engineers determine more water has to be saved, the city also adopted four stages to implement. Stages 1 and 2 would reduce watering to two days and one day per week, respectively. In addition, residents wouldn't be able to wash sidewalks, patios and decks. City officials will put those stages into effect based upon the recommendations of a city water conservation committee.

A Stage 4 restriction would even disallow all outdoor watering with the exception of large trees. Building permits would not be issued so that there would be no more water connections to the city system.

And residents would be subject to fines if they refused to follow the ordinance once any of the Stages 1 through 4 were implemented. The most punitive fine would be issued to someone who has a third violation in Stage 4. One could find himself paying $240 extra on his monthly water bill if he didn't follow the watering rules.

However, city officials said it is hard to imagine the city ever getting to the point of having to forbid all outdoor watering.

Also Tuesday, the City Council went against City Engineer Gary Young's recommendation to install yield signs on Wendell Street at North College Road. At the request of residents who live in that neighborhood, the council voted 4-3 to instead install stop signs. In favor of the stop signs were Councilmen Lance Clow and Dennis Maughan and Councilwomen Elaine Steele and Glenda Thompson.