Frederick County board sends drought-ordinance changes to public hearing, including limited hydrant access and garden watering rules

The Frederick County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 11 directed staff to take proposed amendments to the county drought ordinance to public hearing, advancing a package intended to clarify construction hydration rules, gardening allowances and emergency rate tools.

Staff described the package as modifications to existing drought restrictions. One change would permit construction contractors to obtain water from fire hydrants for pipe flushing and other construction uses if Frederick Water is purchasing water from the City of Winchester and the user pays an increased rate equal to the Winchester charge. Another amendment would remove the current ban on watering vegetable gardens during a declared drought emergency. The draft also would allow bulk water haulers to purchase water at the Frederick Water price tied to Winchester's rate under specified conditions.

The staff presentation also said the county could implement conservation water rates up to 20% during a drought emergency, and the board could adopt a tiered structure that exempts the lowest tier so low-income or small users would not be disproportionately affected. Staff noted Frederick Water expects an additional source (the "Eastern pit") to be online within about two years, which they said should ease long-term drought concerns.

Board members asked practical questions about how those Winchester-based rates would interact with the county's emergency-required rates for haulers and contractors. Several supervisors said they preferred moving the draft to public hearing to allow contractors, haulers and residents to comment, while leaving the option to return with narrower language if the board wished to limit who could use Winchester-priced water.

The motion to move the ordinance as written to public hearing passed on a roll-call vote.