The Noblesville Common Council amended the city’s water ban ordinance and fines related to its violations in the event a water ban is issued on July 16.
According to the ordinance, violators will receive a $100 the first time, $150 the second and a $500 fine for every additional violation. The water ban will exclude flowers/gardens watered by hand, trees less than five years old and sod under three weeks old.
The ordinance changes were approved by a 6-1 vote, with Roy Johnson casting the lone nay. Johnson voiced his preference of having penalties like the town of Fishers, where first time violators get a warning, not a $100 fine. Repeat offenders also receive a $500 fine.
“Fishers got this right,” he said. “It gives a warning on the first offense and the second time is more substantial than we have.”
Police Chief Kevin Jowitt said having a warning-less protocol for officers would make their jobs easier in the event of a water ban. While warnings are recorded in the police computer system, Jowitt is relying on officers’ judgment and discretion to determine who gets a warning and who receives a fine. During the city’s ban on consumer fireworks, Jowitt said police officers have been issuing warnings to violators.
“We’ve been giving warnings to everyone,” he said. “A vast majority say they didn’t know of the existence of the ordinance. I worked the evening shift on July 4; we had calls coming in every 10 minutes and handed out no citations.”
Noblesville is not under a water ban currently and has not placed any restrictions on water usage within the city at this time. Mayor John Ditslear explained that the decision of a ban is at the discretion of the mayor or when requested by water companies. Unlike other communities, Ditslear said Noblesville has three water companies that service the area, which the city does not own or operate.
The water companies that service the city have individually issued water advisories with respect to their particular service areas. Citizens are encouraged to contact their local service provider for the most up-to-date information regarding any specific water restrictions in their area.
Know More
The city of Noblesville does not own or operate their water system like many other municipalities. Instead, the water is provided by three different companies that include:
- Citizens Water: www.citizenswater.com
- Indiana-American Water Company: www.amwater.com/inaw
- Westfield Utilities: www.westfield.in.gov
Each of these companies has the liberty to issue their own individual advisories as they see fit. These advisories are just that; they are not a reflection or legal notice on behalf of the city, so Noblesville has no enforcement authority relating to them. In order to learn what watering restrictions apply to your neighborhood, refer to a copy of the water bill for your home/business and visit the Web site listed on it.