The American Fork City Council is expected to pass a resolution late Tuesday that will change the way we water our lawns. The resolution will take effect immediately but also present the City with a new challenge: How to communicate the changes quickly before the season is over. The City Council would have to vote again next year if it wants to renew the mandate.

The new rules will only apply to pressurized irrigation users. Residents can still use culinary water without restriction — even to water their lawns — because that water is not in shortage and is billed by the gallon. The City says it has a plentiful supply of potable water obtained more than 100 years ago called American Fork Springs, but it is the irrigation water that is getting low.

The new rule will allow residential users with sprinkler systems to irrigate their lawns from 6 p.m. on an assigned day to 10 a.m. the next day only. Those with odd-numbered addresses would be allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; even-numbered addresses on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Anyone could water on Sundays. Large users, such as parks, cemetery, schools, churches, and large commercial development will water between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Residents will be given warnings if they violate what would become a mandatory water restrictions law. “Two fliers were sent to residents. We understand not everyone reads those, you know junk mail goes in the trash,” American Fork public works director Dale Goodman said.

The next step after a warning would be to issue a citation for a second violation. “If they persist in violating water restrictions, we would lock out their water, and they wouldn’t have any irrigation water,” Goodman said.

The City says lower than normal snowfall in the mountains has caused the flows in the American Fork River, which is the primary source of pressurized irrigation water, to be less than 50 percent of average. Even secondary suppliers of water for the pressurized irrigation system are only showing allowable flows of 30 percent of normal, a result from two years of reduced snowfall. 

City officials have also talked about installing radio-read meters for the pressurized irrigation water and change the billing system to reflect the actual amount used, encouraging water conservancy. Such meters were cost prohibitive when the pressurized irrigation system was first installed, but have come down in price, according to city engineers. 

Fliers announcing the new water rules would also include time guidelines as recommended by the State Division of Water Resources. “Please adjust sprinkler timers and do your part to conserve water,” the flier, which was reviewed by the Citizen, reads. “If all outdoor water users will do their part, the City should be able to provide sufficient water to make it through the dry months.”

Danny Crivello can be reached at crivello@citizen.af or via cell at 801-477-6397. Cathy Allred contributed to this story.

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