Fishers announces mandatory watering ban - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Fishers is implementing a mandatory watering ban starting Monday, July 16.

The town declared a water emergency and issued an order for a Mandatory Water Conservation Friday, which will go in effect starting Monday, July 16. The order applies to all Fishers residents receiving water from sources other than wells.

"The priority here is drinking water and fire suppression and I think they'll come into compliance after education," said Fishers Town Manager Scott Fadness.

The Hamilton County community drinks the same water as people in Indianapolis. It comes from the same company and the same reservoirs - reservoirs that Citizens Water says have never been this low this early in the summer. Mandatory restrictions are intended to stabilize those water levels.

Resident Jennifer Davis has all but given up on fighting the drought.

"The grass will go dormant and come back and hopefully the plants will survive," she said.

Neighborhoods show a patchwork of brown and green grass, showing who has been watering their lawns during the drought. A lot of homeowners in Fishers have a lot of time, money and pride invested in landscaping, so it won't be easy giving it all up.

Polly Hulseman's last water bill was about $300.

"But the shrubs, the trees, the flowers, that's just all money down the drain," she said.

Homeowner Sara Hannon says the decision to stop watering the grass is an easy one.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal. If it comes between drinking water and watering your lawn, I think drinking water's a little more important," she said.

See all central Indiana watering restrictions here 

This is the announcement from Fishers:

Under the Town of Fishers' Effective Conservation of Water Ordinance (Chapter 52), water usage is prohibited in the following cases:

· Sprinkling, watering or irrigating of grass;
· Washing cars, trucks, trailers, mobile homes, railroad cars or any other type of mobile equipment, except as required by applicable local, state or federal law for health or safety reasons;
· Using water to clean sidewalks, driveways, paved areas, structures, buildings or other outdoor surfaces;
· Filling empty swimming pools;
· Installing new landscaping or new lawn by using sod until return to normal conditions are declared by city water;
· Using hydrants except for fire suppression or as otherwise directed by city water; and
· Operating water fountains that are non-recycling.

During the mandatory water conservation order, vegetable gardens and flowers may be watered every other day by container or hand-held hose equipped with shut-off nozzle. Only the following are exempt from the order:

· Nurseries, provided water use is limited to the amount essential to preserve inventories.
· Automatic commercial car washes, provided a majority of the water used is recycled;
· Manual commercial car washes, provided only a handheld hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle is utilized;
· Golf courses, provided tee boxes and greens are watered only on an every other day schedule that begins on Monday of each week and fairways are watered only once per week on Thursday; and
· Any watering of property owned or controlled by the town Department of Parks and Recreation where such watering is necessary or appropriate for asset preservation.

Any violators of the Mandatory Water Conservation Order will face the following:

· First offense: Warning;
· Second offense within a year: $500
· Third and subsequent offenses within a year: $500.

For more information or to report a violation of this order, please contact the Town of Fishers at (317) 595-3160.