A. 
The water policy of the town shall provide for the orderly growth of the community through effective planning, conservation, and efficient use of the available water resources. It is the policy of the town that no water shall be wasted. Water is the most important natural resource for the town and water is essential to meet the present and future needs of the community. Projections indicate that the town will need one thousand six hundred sixteen (1,616) acre-feet of water rights to meet the consumer demand by the year 2035. The number of water service hookups will exceed six thousand four hundred thirty-nine (6,439) in the same time period. Based on the current zoning restrictions and average densities of the town, the projected build-out of the town will be forty percent (40%) commercial and sixty percent (60%) residential. The town plans to meet this projected demand through:
1. 
An aggressive water conservation policy;
2. 
The importation of water rights so as to minimize the effects on agricultural properties;
3. 
Encouraging the maintenance of the Taos Valley’s acequia system for irrigation purposes;
4. 
The development of water sources that do not adversely impact existing users;
5. 
The protection of those water rights acquired by the town; and
6. 
Encouraging owners with existing valid water rights to transfer the right or the use of those rights to the town.
(Ordinance 03-04, sec. 1, adopted 2003)
All definitions set forth in section 1.04.020 of this code are incorporated into this section. In addition, the following definitions apply to this chapter:
Capability.
The town has sufficient water rights to provide water to the property.
Capacity.
The ability of the town’s well and other points of diversion to have sufficient capacity to produce the water and sufficient space in the storage/distribution system to provide water to the property.
Consumptive water rights.
A use that makes water unavailable for other uses, usually by permanently removing it from local surface or ground water storage as the result of evaporation and/or transpiration. Does not include evaporative losses from bodies of water.
Line loss.
Water escaping or leaking from the town’s water distribution system.
Waste of water.
The nonbeneficial use of water.
Water allotment schedule.
The amount of water required for a specific use as defined in the town water and sewer manual, Resolution 02-20, or as amended.
If not otherwise defined herein, all words shall be interpreted consistent with their definitions contained in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Manual of Water Well Construction Practice (most recent edition).
(Ordinance 03-04, sec. 1, adopted 2003)
A. 
Requests for water service from commercial and residential users shall be evaluated by the town on a case-by-case basis. Connections to the town’s water system will be considered by the town only after the town has evaluated the impact of the additional water demand on the pumping and distribution system, and the availability of water rights to meet this additional demand.
B. 
The mayor is authorized to impose by executive order a moratorium on commercial and/or residential water service connections, if an evaluation of the impact of potential additional water demand predicts an over diversion of adjudicated, permitted or vested water rights, reduction in fire protection capacity, or in the inability of the town to meet current water demand. After the moratorium is imposed, the mayor shall meet with the town council to obtain the council’s consent to the moratorium.
C. 
Moratoriums imposed pursuant to this section may be lifted by the mayor with the concurrence of the council or by the town council when the town has obtained sufficient water rights and/or water production capacity sufficient to meet the increased demand.
(Ordinance 03-04, sec. 1, adopted 2003)
A. 
Water conservation program imposed.
The mayor or the governing body is authorized to impose the following water conservation program on the use of the water supply as may be necessary to conserve water to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the town.
B. 
Phases.
It is the intent of the town council to implement a water conservation program that is incrementally phased and based on the town’s water production capacity of its municipal wells. The following phases will be triggered by the criteria shown in subsection C of this section:
1. 
Phase 1: Normal conditions.
a. 
No outdoor landscape watering between the hours of ten o’clock (10:00) a.m. to six o’clock (6:00) p.m. between April 1 to November 1. Sprinklers shall be turned off on windy or rainy days in this phase.
b. 
Customers shall be allowed to wash their vehicles and to water lawns, landscaping, etc., depending upon their street addresses as follows: odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered calendar days and even-numbered addresses water on even calendar days. Customers are encouraged to limit said watering to a maximum of two (2) hours per day per area.
c. 
Both even and odd addresses may hand water or drip irrigate their plants, flowers and tree wells any day of the week. These customers are encouraged to hand water or drip irrigate a maximum of one hour per day per section to be watered or irrigated.
d. 
Plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of handheld buckets or sprinkler cans that have been filled from hose bibs or interior faucets every day of the week.
e. 
Watering recreation fields belonging to the Taos municipal school district, Taos County, and the Town of Taos is permitted.
2. 
Phase 2: Moderate conditions.
a. 
No outdoor landscape watering between the hours of ten o’clock (10:00) a.m. to six o’clock (6:00) p.m. between April 1 to November 1. Sprinklers shall be turned off on windy or rainy days in this phase.
b. 
Customers shall be allowed to wash their vehicles and to water lawns, landscaping, etc., two (2) days per week with sprinklers as follows:
(1) 
Even addresses: Tuesday and Saturday.
(2) 
Odd addresses: Wednesday and Sunday.
(3) 
Customers are encouraged to limit their watering to two (2) hours daily, per area to be watered.
c. 
Both even and odd addresses may hand water or drip irrigate plants, flowers and tree wells any day of the week. Customers using this provision are encouraged to water not more than one hour, per day, per area to be watered.
d. 
Plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of handheld buckets or sprinkler cans that have been filled from hose bibs or interior faucets every day of the week.
e. 
Watering recreation fields belonging to the Taos municipal school district, Taos County, and the Town of Taos is permitted.
3. 
Phase 3: Serious conditions.
a. 
No outdoor landscape watering between the hours of ten o’clock (10:00) a.m. to six o’clock (6:00) p.m. Sprinklers shall be turned off on windy or rainy days in this phase.
b. 
Customers shall be allowed to wash their vehicles and to water lawns, landscaping, etc., one day per week with sprinklers as follows:
(1) 
Even addresses on Tuesday.
(2) 
Odd addresses on Wednesday.
(3) 
Customers are encouraged to limit their water to two (2) hours daily, per area to be watered.
c. 
Both even and odd addresses may hand water or drip irrigate plants, flowers and tree wells any day of the week. Customers using this provision are encouraged to water not more than one hour, per day, per area to be watered.
d. 
Plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of handheld buckets or sprinkler cans that have been filled from hose bibs or interior faucets every day of the week.
e. 
Watering recreation fields belonging to the Taos municipal school district, Taos County, and the Town of Taos is permitted.
4. 
Phase 4: Severe conditions.
a. 
Outdoor landscape watering with sprinkler systems is prohibited.
b. 
Commercial car washes are not restricted.
c. 
Residential washing of vehicles and outdoor watering of landscaping for one hour, on one day per week, by handheld hose or drip irrigation shall be allowed as follows:
(1) 
Even addresses: Tuesday.
(2) 
Odd addresses: Wednesday.
d. 
Plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of handheld buckets or sprinkler cans that have been filled from hose bibs or interior faucets every day of the week.
e. 
The use of treated water for the operation of ornamental fountains is prohibited.
f. 
Watering recreation fields belonging to the Taos municipal school district, Taos County, and the Town of Taos is permitted.
g. 
No outdoor washing of private buildings, streets, sidewalks, etc., except to remove hazardous materials, or to remove a dangerous condition which threatens the health, safety, or welfare of the public.
h. 
No temporary water meters for construction purposes shall be issued for fixture to fire hydrants. Previously approved meters may remain in use.
i. 
Minor water leaks shall be repaired within five (5) calendar days. Major water leaks shall be repaired immediately.
5. 
Phase 5: Extreme conditions (council declaration of emergency).
a. 
The use of sprinkler systems, garden hoses and drip irrigation systems is prohibited.
b. 
Plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of handheld buckets or sprinkler cans that have filled from hose bibs or interior faucets every day of the week.
c. 
No outdoor washing of buildings, streets, sidewalks, etc., including both private and public uses.
d. 
The use of treated water for the operation of ornamental fountains is prohibited.
e. 
Watering recreation fields belonging to the Taos municipal school district, Taos County, and to the Town of Taos is permitted only if specifically authorized by the town council.
f. 
All use of temporary water meters for construction purposes shall be prohibited.
g. 
All water leaks shall be repaired immediately.
h. 
Any additional restrictions deemed appropriate by the town council.
C. 
Triggers for water conservation phases.
The triggers for determining the appropriate water conservation phase shall be based on the combined operational capacity of the town’s municipal water system. The trigger levels for each phase are as follows:
Phase
Trigger (Percentage of Total Municipal Well Production)
1: Normal
90 - 100
2: Moderate
80 - 90
3: Serious
70 - 80
4: Severe
60 - 70
5: Extreme
Less than 60 or any situation that may immediately jeopardize water production levels
It is intended that any changes to what phase the town is to be in will occur immediately based on water production levels, with the exception of phase 5 which will require a town council declaration of emergency. Drought restrictions imposed as a result of a phase 5 declaration of emergency may be lifted by the mayor or the governing body when the drought conditions have passed. Town administration will notify the public about changes in the phases through the issuance of public service announcements (PSA) to all local media and civic groups.
D. 
Miscellaneous.
It is recommended that:
1. 
Eating establishments provide water to their patrons only upon request.
2. 
Shutoff nozzles shall be used on hoses for hand watering.
3. 
Potable water from the town’s municipal water system should not be used to operate exterior ornamental fountains or similar structures.
4. 
Water conservation savings measures will be considered to be implemented and encouraged in new construction renovations.
5. 
Hotels and other boarding institutions shall notify their patrons of the need to reduce water waste by limiting towels and bedding exchanges, and limiting water usage if possible.
E. 
Enforcement of water conservation provisions.
1. 
Authority to enforce this section shall be assigned to, but is not limited to, all police officers, code enforcement officers, and meter readers of the town. Other employees of the town may be assigned enforcement authority as deemed necessary by the town manager.
2. 
Any responsible party who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to the penalty provisions of section 13.04.310, “Penalty”, of this chapter.
(Ordinance 11-11 adopted 2011)