Aesthetic water use.
Water used for ornamental or decorative features such as
fountains, reflecting pools and water gardens.
Alternative water source.
Water produced by a source other than a water treatment plant
and is not considered potable. These sources can include but are not
limited to:
(1)
Reclaimed/recycled water;
Aquatic life.
Vertebrate organisms that are dependent upon an aquatic environment
to sustain its life.
Athletic field.
A sport playing field, the essential feature of which is
turf grass, used primarily for organized sports for schools, professional
sports, or sanctioned league play.
Automatic irrigation system.
A site-specific system of delivering water generally for
landscaping via a system of pipes or other conduits installed below
ground that automatically cycles water use through water emitters
to a present [pre-set] program, whether on a designed timer or through
manual operation.
Conservation.
Those practices, techniques, and technologies that reduce
water consumption; reduce the loss or waste of water; improve the
efficiency in water use; and increase the recycling and reuse of water
so that supply is conserved and made available for other or future
uses.
Conservation coordinator.
Coordinates water utility staff, data from various departments,
and other resources as necessary for the purpose of developing, implementing,
and evaluating the effectiveness of the utility's water conservation
plan. The designated conservation coordinator shall be the public
works director or their appointed designee.
Customer.
Any person, company, or organization using water supplied
by the city or through an entity supplied by the city.
Drip irrigation.
An irrigation system (drip, porous pipe, etc.) that applies
water at predetermined controlled low-flow levels directly to the
roots of the plant.
Drought contingency plan.
A strategy or combination of strategies for temporary supply
management and demand management responses to temporary or potentially
recurring water supply shortages and other water supply emergencies.
Fountain.
An artificially created jet, stream or flow of water, or
a structure, often decorative, from which a jet, stream or flow of
water issues.
Golf course.
An irrigated and landscaped playing area made up of greens,
tees, fairways, roughs and related areas used for the playing of golf.
Hand-held hose.
A hose physically held by one person, fitted with a manual
or automatic shutoff nozzle.
Hand watering.
The application of water for irrigation purposes through
a hand-held watering hose, watering can, or bucket.
Hose-end sprinkler.
A device through which water flows from a hose to a sprinkler
to water any lawn or landscape.
Hosing.
To spray, water, or wash with a water hose.
Industrial water use.
The use of water for or in connection with commercial or
industrial activities, including but not limited to manufacturing,
bottling, brewing, food processing, scientific research and technology,
recycling, production of concrete, asphalt, and cement, commercial
uses of water for tourism, entertainment, and hotel or motel lodging,
generation of power other than hydroelectric and other business activities.
Irrigation system.
A system of fixed pipes and water emitters that apply water
to landscape plants or turfgrass, including but not limited to in-ground
and permanent irrigation systems.
Landscape irrigation use.
Water used for the irrigation and maintenance of landscaped
areas, whether publicly or privately owned, including residential
and commercial lawns, gardens, golf courses, parks, rights-of-way,
medians and entry ways.
New landscape.
Landscape plants or turfgrass installed during construction
of a new house, multifamily dwelling or commercial building; installed
as part of a governmental entity's capital improvement project;
or alters more than one-half the area of an existing landscape.
Non-essential water use.
Water uses that are not required for the protection of public
health, safety and welfare, such as:
(1)
Irrigating landscape areas, including parks, athletic fields,
and golf courses, except as otherwise provided under this plan;
(2)
Washing any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis
courts, or other hard-surfaced areas; except to alleviate a public
health and safety issue;
(3)
Washing any automobile, motorbike, boat (and/or trailer), airplane,
or other vehicle except where required by law for safety and sanitary
purposes;
(4)
Washing buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate
fire protection, or other uses provided under this plan;
(5)
Filling, refilling, or adding to any swimming pools or Jacuzzi-type
pools, except to maintain safe operating levels;
(6)
Filling or operation of a fountain or pond for aesthetic or
scenic purposes except when necessary to support aquatic life;
(7)
Failure to repair a controllable leak within a reasonable time
period after being directed to do so by formal notice; and
(8)
Drawing from hydrants for construction purposes or any other
purpose other than firefighting or protection of public drinking water
supplies.
Park.
A nonresidential or multifamily tract of land, other than
a golf course, maintained by a city, private organization, or individual,
as a place of beauty or public recreation and available for use to
the general public.
Power/pressure washer.
A machine that uses water or a water-based product applied
at high pressure to clean impervious surfaces.
Reclaimed water.
Municipal wastewater effluent that is given additional treatment
and distributed for reuse in certain applications. Also referred to
as recycled water.
Soaker hose.
A flexible hose that is designed to slowly emit water across
the entire length and connect directly to a flexible hose or spigot.
Does not include a hose that by design or use sends a fine spray in
the air. It is not considered drip irrigation.
Splash pad/spray park.
An area for water play that has no standing water. Typically,
they utilize various spray nozzles which spray water in multiple directions.
Swimming pool.
Any structure, basin, chamber, or tank, including hot tubs,
containing an artificial body of water for swimming, diving, or recreational
bathing, and having a depth of two (2) feet or more at any point.
Vegetable garden.
Any noncommercial vegetable garden planted primarily for
household use; "noncommercial" includes incidental direct selling
of produce from such a vegetable garden to the public.
Well water.
Water that has been, or is, obtained from the ground by digging,
boring, or drilling to access an underground aquifer.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)
The purpose of this drought contingency and emergency water
management plan (subsequently referred to as the plan) is as follows:
(1)
To conserve the available water supply in times of drought and
emergency.
(2)
To maintain supplies for domestic water use, sanitation, and
fire protection.
(3)
To protect and preserve public health, welfare, and safety.
(4)
To minimize the adverse impacts of water supply shortages.
(5)
To minimize the adverse impacts of emergency water supply conditions.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)
(a)
TCEQ rule title 30, part 1, chapter 288, subchapter A, rule
288.1(4) defines a drought contingency plan as "a strategy or combination
of strategies for temporary supply and demand management responses
to temporary and potentially recurring water supply shortages and
other water supply emergencies."
(b)
TCEQ rules governing development of and minimum requirements
for drought contingency plans for municipal water suppliers and wholesale
water suppliers are contained in Texas Administrative Code title 30,
part 1, chapter 288, subchapter B, rule 288.20 and rule 288.22, respectively.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)
(a)
As of July 2023, the city has a groundwater well system of 24
wells that produce water from both the Paluxy and Trinity aquifers.
The capacity of the groundwater system is approximately 1.5 MGD. The
city also has entered into a joint agreement with Hudson Oaks to purchase
water from the City of Fort Worth. The City of Fort Worth has agreed
to provide up to 3.4 MGD. The City of Fort Worth purchases water from
the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD).
(b)
The City of Willow Park also has a connection in place and can
purchase up to 200,000 gpd of water from the City of Weatherford in
an emergency.
(c)
As of July 2023, the City of Willow Park has approximately 105
commercial connections and 2000 residential connections and maintains
approximately 60 miles of distribution pipelines. The city expects
to add approximately 150 connections per year over the next 10 years.
(d)
In accordance with section 2.3 of the wholesale water contract
with Fort Worth, the City of Willow Park, as a wholesale customer,
will be required to institute and apply the same rationing, conservation
measures or restrictions to the use of water by their customers for
so long as any part of their total water supply is being furnished
by Fort Worth. This drought contingency plan is modeled after the
City of Fort Worth's plan.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)
The public had several opportunities to provide input into the
plan.
(1)
A public meeting soliciting comments was held on April 23, 2024.
The meeting was advertised on the city website.
(2)
The draft plan was posted on the City of Willow Park's website
(www.willowpark.org).
(3)
Copies were available to anyone upon request.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)
(a)
The city through the conservation coordinator will inform and
educate the public about the drought contingency/emergency water management
plan by the following means:
(1)
Preparing fact sheets describing the plan and making these available
online and at various city sites.
(2)
Mailing out fact sheets to all water customers.
(3)
Posting a copy of the plan on the city's website.
(4)
Notifying local organizations, schools, and civic groups that
staff are available to make presentations on the plan.
(5)
Various social media platforms, including email and text messaging
as applicable.
(b)
At any time that the drought contingency/emergency water management
plan is activated or the stage changes, the city will notify local
media of the issues, the current response stage, and the specific
actions required of the public. The information will also be publicized
on the city's website. Bill inserts will also be used as appropriate.
(Ordinance 904-24 adopted 5/14/2024)