Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou announced Monday (Nov. 18) that he had declared a Stage 1 drought emergency because the city’s three drinking-water reservoirs have collectively fallen to 60 percent capacity.
The following mandatory restrictions are now in place:
- Residents should fix water leaks and do their best to prevent water waste;
- No washing cars, except at a commercial facility;
- No washing outdoor areas (e.g., patios, driveways, streets, steps);
- Stop refilling or drawing city water for fountains, waterfalls, pools, lakes or ponds;
- Watering of lawns, golf courses, shrubs, plants and trees must be limited as follows:
- Watering vegetation is only permitted between 7 and 8 p.m. and from 10 to 11 p.m.
- Residents may use handheld water containers to water gardens if food is being grown.
- Plant nurseries and other commercial users engaged in growing and selling plants must reduce consumption by at least 15 percent.
- Fines of up to $1,000 may be assessed for violations.
