Water Emergency Declared; Mandatory Conservation Ordered

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

Water plant site #3


 

Emergency council meeting.

VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION UNSUCCESSFUL

Due to continuing hot, dry weather and the failure of voluntary conservation, the city council voted today to declare a water emergency and authorize the mayor to proceed to a stage 3, mandatory water conservation. Councilman Martin was absent.

Irrigation (ie. lawn watering), the major drain on the system currently, is now prohibited until further notice to let nearly-empty water tanks refill.  

Other restrictions apply as well -- subject to fines by city code enforcement officers (via tickets in municipal court). (see ordinance below.)

ORDINANCE TO BE CHANGED?

The council also discussed changing the seven-day deficit requirement in the current ordinance, to make it more responsive and effective. The mayor said the numbers were very close to the set limit all of last week.  The ordinance was enacted in May of 2020.

A five year $35 million plan for water system expansion is at very bottom. Components are already underway.


 




 


 

Five year water plan.


Comments

Anonymous said…
$13,000 invested in my lawn , and I will be fined $500 if I water to keep it alive. Please tell me if Silver Hill and the other city’s we sell water is under a watering restriction?
Anonymous said…
Realtors, bankers, insurance salesmen all want more and more houses to sell. Good for business. They are running the show behind the scenes.
Anonymous said…
New wells can be dug all day but if you have don't have new storage tanks to put the water in then the water just sits in the ground. Priority should be given to building new water towers to store the new well water. If the city waits another year or so to build the tanks we will be much farther behind. Start the process today. Also, you're allowed to wash your car 4 times per week but can't water your lawn 3 times per week? I think I could drive around in a dirty car for a few weeks. The Council needs to step in and assist the mayor.
Anonymous said…
I hope the voters will remember the ongoing issues Fairhope struggles with that our elected officials have failed to address in a timely manner. Continuing to approve huge new subdivisions while the infrastructure cannot handle the current residents needs adequately…and traffic/speeding which they continually try to but bandaids on instead of installing effective speed control devices and/or giving people speeding tickets.
Anonymous said…
And there's another apartment complex plan for Boothe road! Not enough water, no place for traffic, no planning at all.

Remember at the next election.
Anonymous said…
Are we still defending the Silverhill deal?

This was avoidable, as will be the future difficulties.
Anonymous said…
Council does not approve subdivisions. Planning commission does.They ar not elected.
Anonymous said…
Where on Boothe are apartments planed?
Anonymous said…
"One rule highlighted by the city is irrigation is strictly prohibited, including for those who irrigate using wells." I believe this would not stand up in court.
Anonymous said…
The city council appoints the planning commission members. That is where the problem starts and why it matters when you vote. Pay attention Fairhope.

"City Council seeks to have diversity in making appointment to boards and committees. It is the policy of the City Council to make appointments based on the needs of the City as well as the interests and qualifications of each applicant. In accordance with the Code of Alabama, all applicants must be qualified electors and taxpayers in the City, excluding the Planning Commission."
Anonymous said…
Many believe the city should establish a utilities board, instead of having politicians run complex utilities.
Anonymous said…
Why not just dam up the Fish River for a reservoir?
Anonymous said…
I believe the Council appoints the planning commissioners and the Council votes on their recommendations. This is quite the mess we are in and can brownouts due to power demand be far behind?
Anonymous said…
I see a BIG problem with this statement! "Council does not approve subdivisions. The planning commission does. They are not elected."

If this is true, then the planning commission can be stacked with developers, and real estate brokers that place an emphasis on revenue and growth, which can be viewed as detrimental to Fairhope because of limited water/sewer infrastructure. They have no one to answer to!
Anonymous said…
Wow! Someone finally came to a realization. This is why the county wants every area zoned. They want to appoint a select few they can manipulate. If they really wanted to control growth they could. But that is not the name of the game. Money. Money. Money.
Anonymous said…
"If this is true, then the planning commission can be stacked with developers, and real estate brokers that place an emphasis on revenue and growth"....

And you sir, get a BINGO!

It's okay. Mayor Sullivan says it is "temporary" and should be resolved in 48 hours or 2024.

Wake up Fairhope.
Anonymous said…
Grow or die. Influential business community, chamber of commerce, etc. encourages rapid growth. More the better. Called free enterprise. Capitalism. Socialists here don't get it. Never will.
Anonymous said…
This has nothing to do with socialism.
Anonymous said…
Mayor's takin' the heat while the boys who have been there a decade stay in the background.
Anonymous said…
In the City Council meeting this past Monday where Stage 3 was approved, the mayor stated “it’s not about the building “ …the problem is because the citizens aren’t listening to us and limiting irrigation. The mayor and city council take no responsibility for this situation. Great leadership…
Anonymous said…
I found the perfect solution. I mounted a shower head on my hose and started taking showers outside, slowly moving over the yard to cover the entire area. Not breaking any rules!
Anonymous said…
pray for rain peeps.
Anonymous said…
Simple,remove 50% of all flower downtown especially along the side of section street where one cannot exit a vehicle with out stepping in or over the strip of them,presenting a clear and present danger to the liability of the city if someone falls.Then lets take out some of the tress damaging the side walks.
Anonymous said…
If one has a well on PRIVATE PROPERTY they can irrigate all they want.As it has been documented and stated,by dispatchers,police dept,city officials.LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY,and the city provides NO EMERGENCY SERVICES.Stated by PD dispatcher several months ago when a woman fell on the side walk in front of the County Court house,cut here head on the 3 1/2 inch displacement in the sidewalk(CITY PROPERTY).
911 said call Fairhope,Fairhope stated we don't provide emergency services.911 would NOT send ambulance(transferred back to FHPD),PD officer asked if he could call someone to pick her up.

Anonymous said…
Gotta say I loved- loved the out door shower idea someone posted. And as the complaints mount on development while telling us to use less water. Do not forget who pushed hard for this new mayor. Realtors . Its all the irrigation not the building :) That was funny. Good luck Fairhope. Remeber I was in da shower outside :)