Brownwood Working to Implement Fines for Water Restriction Violators
By: Lisa Tipton, BrownwoodNews.com
Updated: May 23, 2012
The new ordinance will establish a new Water Conservation and Drought Contingency plan, establishing penalties for violating the restrictions and provisions of these penalties, which includes disconnection of water service and citations for multiple violations and provides authority for certain city employees to issue citations for violations of the ordinance, according to Brownwood City Attorney Pat Chesser in a briefing sheet.
Although approved on first reading, the ordinance has to come before the council one more time for second, third/final readings before the ordinance is approved.
The City previously adopted its Drought Contingency Plan in November of 2011 by resolution. The ordinance considered for approval adopts the same drought contingency plan by ordinance so that the city may seek enforcement for violations. As before, the city will seek other remedies rather than issue citations when it is possible to work with a citizen to come into compliance.
According to City Manager Bobby Rountree, the city will first seek voluntary compliance. The offender will first be contacted by door hanger for notification of the violation. If they refuse to comply, then a citation will be issued. This ordinance citation may be issued by code enforcement or by police officers for a violation.
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