Residents of Blaine, it's time to adjust your sprinklers and heed the new ordinance on lawn watering schedules. As temperatures begin to climb, the Blaine City Council has updated the restrictions on lawn and garden watering to conserve the city's water supply, with a particular schedule for properties based on their address numbers.
Starting from May 15 through September 15, homeowners with odd-numbered addresses will only be permitted to water their lawns on odd days, whereas those with even-numbered addresses are limited to even days, aiming to distribute the consumption of the precious resource more evenly, although further limitations may be put in place according to the city manager's judgment. In addition, during this same timeframe, all lawn sprinkling is banned outright between the scorching peak hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Yet, it's not all constricting when it comes to green thumbs and lawn lovers—the ordinance does list exceptions, for instance, properties using private wells aren't subjected to these restrictions, and allowances are made for city-operated athletic fields that need more frequent watering to prevent damage. Flexible watering options are also available for new plantings and limited hand watering of certain greenery, like flower beds and trees.
Consequences are real for those who might dismiss these guidelines, the city won't shy away from imposing penalties: violators will be greeted with fines that, if left unpaid after 30 days, will incur an extra sting—a 10 percent late payment fee that's going to be as unwelcomed as dandelions in the springtime, noncompliance could even lead to county-level tax collection methods for further procrastinators.
For more details on these new rules that Blaine folks must now follow, head over to the city's official announcement on their website.
