County of Oxford By-law 4193-2002: Water Use Restrictions — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot 1df3f2e049bc · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## THE CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF OXFORD ## BY-LAW NO. 4193-2002 BEING a By-law to regulate the external use of water by residential, commercial, industrial and institutional properties served by County of Oxford owned water systems. WHEREAS, the water systems of the County of Oxford may experience water usage demands that make it necessary for the County to set restrictions on water usage. AND WHEREAS, section 75 of the County of Oxford Act, R.S.O. 1990 chapt. C.42 prescribes that the County of Oxford has sole responsibility for the supply and distribution of water in the County and financing thereof. AND WHEREAS, the citizens and ratepayers of the County of Oxford are totally dependent on scarce ground water as our source of potable water. AND WHEREAS, the indiscriminate or profligate external use of water compromises the availability of water to all in the neighborhood. AND WHEREAS, any reduced availability of water may entail great expense to locate and secure a new source of water and consequent increases in municipal levies. AND WHEREAS, subsection 113 (1) of the County of Oxford Act provides that sections 320 and 324 of the Municipal Act apply to the County, such that compliance inspections may be made and that contravention of a By-law constitutes an offence and fines may be imposed payable to the County. AND WHEREAS, Council has adopted staff Report D-7 2001-70 recommending measures to conserve water resources in the County of Oxford. NOW THEREFORE, the Council of The Corporation of the County of Oxford enacts as follows: ## 1. Definitions In this By-law: - a) "client" means a recipient of County-supplied water whether owner or tenant of the property; - b) "County" and "County of Oxford" mean The Corporation of the County of Oxford; - c) · "Director" means the Director of Public Works of The Corporation of the County of Oxford; - d) "even" means any number ending in the numerals 0, 2, 4, 6, 8; - e) "external use of water" means the use of water outside of residential, commercial, industrial or institutional buildings for purposes such as but not restricted to the watering of lawns or other vegetation, the complete or substantially complete filling of swimming pools, or the washing of vehicles or driveways, located at a property; - f) "odd" means any number ending in the numerals 1, 3, 5, 7, 9; - g) "property" means a property and its apparent owner or tenant, as determined from the latest assessment roll or related documents, supplied with water by the County of Oxford; - h) "street number" means an urban street address or a rural 9-1-1 number 2. "water" means water supplied by the County of Oxford municipal water systems 3. ' Cosinate means person as one the poes to sue permits pursuante - k) "water system" means any or all of the following communal water facilities: Beachville - Loweville Bright Brownsville Dereham Centre Drumbo Embro Hickson Ingersoll Innerkip - Estates Innerkip - Aldergrange Innerkip - Homesites Mount Elgin Lakeside Norwich Plattsville Otterville Princeton - Countryside Manors, Seniors Sweaburg Springford Tavistock Tillsonburg Thamesford Woodstock Any other water systems owned by the County of Oxford, or extensions/changes to the above water systems subsequent to the date of this by-law. ## External Water Regulations - 2(1) External water regulations shall apply May 1 to September 30 in each year following the passage of this By-law. - 2(2) External use of water is prohibited for clients except: - a) from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. and from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., on residential properties with even street numbers on even numbered days of the calendar; - b) from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. and from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., on residential properties with odd street numbers on odd numbered days of the calendar; - c) from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., on industrial, commercial, and institutional properties with even street numbers on even numbered days of the calendar; - from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., on industrial, commercial, and institutional properties with odd street numbers on odd numbered days of the calendar; - e) topping up swimming pools to compensate for normal water loss. - 2(3) The Director, or designate, may issue exemption permits to allow the external use of water in times or in addition to Section 2(2) or uses not defined in 1(e) such as automatic sprinkler systems, water for new seed or sod, non-profit fund raising events or permits for special consideration. Such permits may have fees associated with them. ## 3. External Water Regulations - Exemptions - 3(1) Subject to subsection 3(2), the complete or substantially complete filling of swimming pools is permitted for clients of the Ingersoll, Tillsonburg or Woodstock water systems. - 3(2) Woodstock clients will require a Pool Filling Permit. - 3(3) Exemption Certificates for the watering of new sod or seed, fund-raising activities, automatic sprinklers, or outside renovations must be obtained prior to undertaking these activities. ## 4. Enforcement - 4(1) Violation of the provisions of this By-law constitutes an offence and may result in a reduction of water pressure to the offending client. - 4(2) Restoration of normal water pressure will require the client's payment of a fine and a waiting period for the client of 24 hours. - 4(3) For the purposes of enforcement of this By-law, officers, employees or agents of the County, upon reasonable apprehension that a violation has occurred or is occurring, may enter upon the external premises of a water system client. ## 5. Penalties - 5(1) Offending clients will be charged a penalty of $75.00 to have normal water pressure restored during normal working hours. - 5(2) The waiting period of 24 hours may be avoided by the instant payment of $75.00 to the officer, employee, or agent of the County and issuance of a receipt to the client will constitute proof of payment. - 5(3) An additional $75.00 will be charged for after hours or weekend service to restore pressure. - 5(4) A fine of $150.00 in addition to the above may be applied to any client who adjusts a water shut-off valve after it has been set for reduced pressure. ## 6. Emergency or System Maintenance Water Use Regulations - 6(1) The Director is hereby authorized to implement at any time regulations which he/she, in his/her discretion, considers advisable to limit the external use of water and this authority includes the right to ban completely the external use of water. - 6(2) In this section, "notification" means mass mailing or hand delivery, but not direct mail, to the water system clients affected. - 6(3) Notice of implementation of a water use regulation by the Director and its effective date shall be specified with the notice to each property/client served by the water system. - 6(4) Upon notification of a water use regulation issued by the Director, it is prohibited to use water except in accordance with the provisions of the regulation. - 6(5) Separate regulations may be made for each water system. 7. Administration The County may delegate the administration of this By-law to a service provider through a Service Contract. 8. Short Title and Commencement 2. 8(1) This By-law may be cited and known as the Water Conservation By-law External Water Use. 3. 8(2) This By-law comes into effect 72 hours after the hour of its passage. 9. Repeal By-law No. 4122-2001 is hereby rescinded. Read a first and second time this 10th day of April, 2002. Read a third time and finally passed in Open Council this 10th day of April, 2002.   Dand Ochak DAVID OLIPHANT WARDEN CLERK