Bothell staff propose mandatory curtailment rules, notices and fines in revamped water shortage plan

City staff asked the council for initial feedback on proposed updates to Bothell's water shortage contingency plan and related code changes intended to clarify roles and actions during droughts or infrastructure failures. Emily Warnock, sustainability coordinator, said the plan aligns with established stages—advisory, voluntary, mandatory and emergency—and proposes that mandatory and emergency-stage curtailment actions be enforceable by city code, with notices, final warnings and fines tied to the fee schedule.

"We're proposing updates to the code and plan to better align with one another and to better prepare and provide clarity for the community and the city in the event of a water shortage," Warnock said. Staff described specific curtailment measures that could be mandated in the mandatory stage (for example, limiting lawn watering, restricting pool filling and requiring leak repairs) and outlined an enforcement ladder: first violation — mailed notice; second violation — final warning; further violations — fines calculated per the annual fee schedule and, at the public works director's discretion, shutoffs for irrigation customers after multiple offenses. Staff said fines would be used as a last resort and that council would determine when to activate mandatory or emergency stages.

Council members asked multiple follow-ups during the question-and-answer period. Council member Kurt raised concerns that mailed notices could take several business days to arrive and suggested quicker door-hanger or in-person notification methods to avoid undue financial harm to affected residents. Council member Anguilere and others asked if rainwater-capture programs (for example, county rainwise incentives) could be integrated; staff said they would follow up with eligibility and outreach information. Staff also acknowledged emergency-permitting pathways for nonpotable emergency supplies and agreed to coordinate with emergency management and health agencies on practical options.

Staff requested council comment prior to returning in September with draft code language; no action was taken at the meeting. The proposed enforcement mechanism and the plan's notification strategy are expected to return for formal adoption in the fall, and staff said they will include robust public outreach before any mandatory measures take effect.