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Hastings Rivertown News City of Hastings. 101 East Fourth Street Hastings, MN .55033-1955. (612)437-4127 City Receives Award The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the City of Hastings by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest fonn of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by the government and its management. The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly cornmunicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR. A copy of the City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is available for review at the Dakota County Library in Hastings. Permanent Odd/Even Sprinkling Ban The Hastings City Council recently adopted an ordinance implementing a permanent odd/even sprinkling ban effective May 15 to September 1 of each year. The purpose of the ban is to even out water demands and reduce the peak pumping demandrrom theCitywellscausedduring thesummermonths by lawn sprinkling. Last June, the City experienced its highest recorded water usage day, pumping over 4 million gallons of water rrom the three wells serving the high system. This was 94% of these wells' daily pumping capacity. There was no reserve left to fight a large fire or to meet water demands if one of the wells ma1functioned This large usage was caused by lawn sprinkling. A water emergency had to be declared, and City Volume III Issue 2 Volume III crews went door to door posting notices informing homeowners that an odd/even sprinkling ban had been declared Followingthedeclaration ofan odd/even sprinkling ban water usage declined to 2.4 million gallons on the high system or 56% of the wells' capacity. Similaremergencysprink1ingbansweredeclaredtwice in the last three years. In each case, the odd/even sprinkling ban leveled off water usage to a more manageable daily level. hnprovements to the water supply system are underway, including two new water storage tanks and increasing the pumping capacity of two existing wells. However, even these improvements will not add enough pumping capacity to the system to allow everyone to sprink1e their lawns at the same time. Atleastonenewwelland possiblytwonewwellswould be needed to meet such a high usage and still leave enough capacity in reserve for emergency situations. Any new wells constructed to meet lawn sprinkling demands would likely sit idle forninemonthsofeveryyear. Institutingapennanentodd/ even sprink1ing ban is a compromise that curtails expensive water system expansions by placing modest restrictions on lawnsprinkling. The permanent odd/even sprinkling ban ordinance reads as follows; "From May 15 to September I of each year, anodd/ evenlawnsprinklingbanshallbeineffectforalllawnsprink1ing systems supplied by water rrom the City of Hastings water utility. Properties with even numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns only on days with even numbered dates. Properties with odd numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns only on days with odd numbered dates. A one (I) week exemption rrom the odd/even sprink1ing ban may be granted for newly planted sod, grass, or landscaping upon registering for the exemption with the Hastings Utility Department. Other exemptions may be granted upon evaluation and recommendation of the Hastings Utility Superintendent" Mayor Werner and the City Council April' 1998 Page 1