December 13 — Sumner to seek input from public on new goals

Sumner City Council plans to request input from the public on new water utility goals

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

The Sumner City Council will host a public hearing in January regarding proposed goals for the city’s water utility.

Public Works Director Bill Shoemaker asked council during a recent study session if the council wanted to do more in terms of efficiency.

Councilman Randy Hynek said he was interested in making gardens more accessible and affordable to residents.

Steve Allsop chimed in as well, saying he wanted to know what it would take for residents to have green grass year-round.

“I just think it makes the town a nicer place,” Allsop said.

Proposed goals to be discussed during the public hearing include reducing the annual average daily water consumption for single family households, reducing the peak monthly average daily flow and reducing unaccounted hydrant use by 50 percent. All goals should be accomplished within five years.

Public Works recommends providing customers with brochures on how to conserve water, providing information on proper irrigation and providing rain gages to customers so they may measure the amount of water usage on their lawns and manage construction activity better and watch for illegal hydrant use. The programs are intended to help meet the proposed goals.

The good news is that Sumner doesn’t waste or even use a lot of water, Shoemaker said.

That’s a big help when it comes to meeting the goals.

The public hearing to discuss these goals is a requirement of the Municipal Water Conservation Act of 2003, which set in place a water efficiency rule requiring municipal water suppliers to set water efficiency goals through public process and report annually on performance.

That enacted rule became effective Jan. 22 of this year and cities had one year to set the goals.

The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7 during the regular city council meeting.