What are Bellaire water restriction rules?

The code hook

Sec. 22-25 incorporates by reference, as part of the Code, all terms of the City of Bellaire Water Conservation Plan and the drought contingency plans set out in it, as adopted by city council and amended over time. Compliance with the plan is mandatory. It is unlawful for any person, whether acting alone or for a business, corporate, public or charitable entity, to fail to comply with any restrictions, regulations or bans on water use issued by the city, or to interfere with city staff enforcing them.

Rule: City Code Sec. 22-25.

What the stages say

The plan on file (2019 update, 44 pages) sets outdoor watering by stage. In plain summary of that plan: Stage 1 (voluntary) uses night hours 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., with even addresses on Sunday and Thursday and odd addresses on Saturday and Wednesday. Stage 2 makes similar day/hour rules mandatory for hose-end and automatic systems. Later stages cut days further, then ban sprinklers, pool filling, and finally all landscape irrigation. Always follow the stage the city announces; the plan's trigger numbers (share of plant capacity and pressure) are in the PDF.

Rule: City of Bellaire Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan (2019), made mandatory by Sec. 22-25.

What happens if you don't

The drought plan's own enforcement section (Plan Sec. 4.4), which Sec. 22-25 makes mandatory city law, says: "Any person who violates this Plan is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). Each day that one or more of the provisions in this Plan is violated shall constitute a separate offense." If a person is convicted of three or more distinct violations, the city manager may discontinue water service to the premises after notice (Plan Sec. 4.4). Sec. 22-25 itself says a violation is punishable by a fine in municipal court according to Sec. 1-10, so the code-level penalty is a fine of up to $500, and each day counts as a new offense (Sec. 1-10; Texas Local Government Code Sec. 54.001). The code also says second and subsequent violations are punishable by fine and, additionally, by interruption of water service according to criteria, rules and regulations promulgated by the city manager's office. The council finds that conditions requiring water restrictions are an emergency threatening community health, safety and well-being.

Who to call

Public Works Department (for watering stage questions); Utility Billing for account service issues.

Sources

• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Sec. 22-25, Sec. 1-10. library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• City of Bellaire Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan (2019 update). https://www.bellairetx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27426/City-of-Bellaire-Water-Conservation-and-Drought-Contingency-Plan-2019-Update

En español

¿Hay restricciones de agua en Bellaire? El Plan de Conservación de Agua y Contingencia por Sequía de la ciudad forma parte del código (Sec. 22-25) y su cumplimiento es obligatorio. Cuando la ciudad declara una etapa de sequía, debe seguir los días y horarios de riego de ese plan (por ejemplo, en etapas tempranas el riego nocturno de 7:00 p.m. a 5:00 a.m. con días pares e impares). Las etapas posteriores limitan más el riego y pueden prohibir llenar piscinas. Violar el plan de sequía puede costar una multa de no más de $1,000.00, y cada día cuenta como una infracción nueva (Plan Sec. 4.4). Tras tres o más condenas distintas, la ciudad puede cortar el servicio de agua (Plan Sec. 4.4). Según la Sec. 22-25, la multa del código es de hasta $500 (Sec. 1-10), y las infracciones segunda y posteriores pueden causar la interrupción del servicio de agua. Pregunte a Obras Públicas qué etapa está activa.