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Council asks legal staff to draft rule defining ‘significant’ water leaks at 200 gallons per hour
Summary
Council agreed to direct legal advisors to draft an ordinance that would define a significant water leak as more than 200 gallons per hour, adjust repair timeframes, and clarify shutoff authority; staff had also discussed extending repair time from five to seven days.
At a Feb. 12 workshop the Town Council agreed to have legal advisors draft an ordinance to define a ‘‘significant leak’’ in the town’s water policy as a leak exceeding 200 gallons per hour. Council members discussed current practice, under which water service can be shut off after five days if leaks are unrepaired, and considered extending the repair window to seven days while giving immediate shutoff authority for leaks at or above the 200 gph threshold.
Why it matters: Defining a quantitative threshold would give the town clearer authority to cut service to properties with large leaks, potentially reducing water loss and protecting infrastructure. Council discussion acknowledged the need to balance customer notice and remediation time with preventing excessive water waste.
Next steps: Legal Advisors were assigned to draft ordinance language specifying the 200 gph threshold and adjusted repair timeframe; the draft will return to the council for review before any formal vote.
