Norwalk urges households to cut irrigation as council adopts regional water-use plan

Norwalk — The Norwalk City Council on June 20 adopted a revised water-use plan to align the city’s response to shortages with Central Iowa Water Works and urged residents to cut outdoor irrigation amid falling reservoir levels.

The ordinance replaces chapter 92.12 of the Norwalk code and standardizes how member cities respond under a stage-two designation, the council was told. "Central Iowa Water Works is asking all of the member cities to standardize their response ... if we have to implement water usage restrictions as per under stage two right now," the mayor said during the final-reading presentation.

Councilmembers voted in favor on the final reading; the motion was made by Councilmember Cool and seconded by Councilmember Meinecke. The roll call recorded affirmative votes, and the ordinance carried.

Separately, a council member reminded residents that Norwalk is currently under a stage-two water advisory and requested a voluntary 50% reduction in irrigation: "Please please follow that ... otherwise we're going to go to stage three sooner than later," the mayor said. City staff earlier noted that Moffitt Reservoir, which supplies much of the L. D. McMahon water plant’s intake, is approximately half full.

The ordinance’s stated purpose is to harmonize Norwalk’s water shortage responses with the regional plan so member cities adopt similar strategies during shortages. The council did not set new mandatory penalties during the meeting; the action adopted the text aligning Norwalk with the Central Iowa Water Works plan and places any further operational steps under that framework.

Next steps: The ordinance was adopted on final reading; residents are asked to comply with the voluntary reduction and the city will follow the regional plan’s staged responses if conditions worsen.