SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward vetoed the water conservation and drought response ordinance that codifies citywide water conservation strategies and goals.
Spokane City Council voted in favor of this ordinance by a vote of 5-2 on May 23.
Beginning June 2023, if the Spokane River drops below 1,000 cubic feet per second, residents would only be allowed to water their lawns two days a week and spraying off driveways and sidewalks would be prohibited.
Between June and October, watering will not be allowed between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Exceptions to the ordinance are allowed for new landscapes, vegetable gardens, maintaining tree health and mitigating wildfire risk.
The ordinance itself has changed since it was first introduced. As things stand right now, violators would not be fined or charged with a misdemeanor.
Council President Breean Beggs said the ordinance is good for the river, the local aquifer and will avoid costly infrastructure upgrades.
Woodward sent council members a letter saying she does not support the ordinance but does believe citizens should do more to conserve water. The mayor went on to say she thinks the ordinance is too complex and the public works department doesn't have the resources to enforce it.
“I greatly appreciate and value efforts to conserve water and am hopeful we can partner on a solution based on education and re-evaluation of our incentives-based approach,” Woodward said in a statement. “My strong preference is to model a collaborative approach with our community, which I’m happy to help you lead, rather than encourage the likely divisiveness that will result from neighbors monitoring and reporting on other neighbors, no matter how well-intended the desired outcome.”
According to a press release, Spokane implemented a tiered rate structure approximately one year ago and adopted a Water Conservation Master plan two years ago. This plan includes strategies to change behavior through financial incentives
The proposed ordinance, according to the mayor's office, "requires neighbors to monitor and report on prohibited water usage in a complaint-driven system."
“This situation is fundamentally different than other complaint-based systems the City operates,” Woodward said in a statement. “Monitoring water usage outside of desired levels requires a measure of confrontation that is much different than our other complaint-based systems that can more easily accommodate anonymous reporting and leave it to Code Enforcement to independently obtain proof of overgrown weeds or junk vehicles. This is not the kind of community I want to create.”