The Ripon City Council will hold a special session today to consider approving a resolution that would enact the emergency water conservation measures.

This is in response to Executive Order N-7-22 – intended to combat the serious statewide drought conditions – signed by Gov. Newsom on March 28.

The order reiterates the prior drought executive orders from April 21, 2021, May 10, 2021, and Oct. 19, 2021, that remains in effect while being expanded via provisions adopted on May 24 by the State Water Resources Control Board.

Included in the emergency regulations was defining “non-functional turf” – turf that’s ornamental and not otherwise used for recreation purposes such as school fields, sports fields and parks – and banning irrigation of non-functional turf in commercial, industrial and institutional sectors.

Director of Public Works James Pease touched briefly on that at last month’s Council meeting.

The City of Ripon has had certain mandatory water conservation measures in place since 2018.

The proposed resolution would repeal the earlier one while prohibiting outdoor water usage between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition, all properties within the City would go to a two-day per week watering of landscape schedule rather than the current three days from the months of March through October.

The serving of water at restaurants and food service establishments would only be available by request.

Decorative water fountains would be required to have a water recirculation system. Outside of that, water usage on fountains with the exception of a pond that supports aquatic life would be prohibited.

The special session is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 259 N. Wilma Ave.

For more information, log on to www.cityofripon.org.