The City of Ruidoso Downs has been closely watching the Griffith Spring flow since observing the rate drop from a regular historical monthly average of around 400 gallons per minute (or gpm) to a monthly average of 224.4 gpm at the end of June 2004. Due to the diminished flow of the spring, I am hereby declaring a state of emergency and am thus enacting Phase III Water Rationing restrictions effective immediately. According to the Water Conservation ordinance, the following restrictions are being enforced:

1. "Wasting water" is prohibited. The following practices are considered wasting water:
   1. Using potable City water for any purpose in such a way that it flows, sprays, or is otherwise excessively discharged upon any street, alley or other public right-of-way, ditch or drain;
   2. Failing to repair a leak in a system which delivers water within five working days of the discovery of same;
2. All swimming pools, which are constructed after the effective date of this ordinance (June 11, 2002), must be equipped with filtration, pumping and recirculation systems. For purposes of this ordinance, a swimming pool is any structure more than twenty-four inches in depth and containing more than one thousand, one hundred twenty-two gallons (1,122 gals.) of water and intended primarily for recreational use.
3. New or replacement bleeder lines from evaporative coolers shall not be larger than one-eighth-inch inside diameter. Bleeder lines shall not be routed into the sewer system where the air conditioner runoff can be used to water landscaping or other outdoor vegetation, except where this would be impractical or unfeasible.
4. Washing sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios or other impervious surface areas with a hose (except in emergencies to remove spills of hazardous materials or to eliminate dangerous conditions which threaten the public health, safety, or welfare) is prohibited.
5. Restaurants shall provide drinking water to customers only upon request.
6. For the public’s information, the following Phase III additional restrictions apply to all customers or persons who use or receive potable water from the City of Ruidoso Downs.
   1. Use of water through a sprinkler system or use of water through a hose to water any grass, trees, plants or other vegetation shall be determined as follows:
      1. Users with odd numbered addresses shall be permitted to use water in the above manner on each Friday.
      2. Users with even numbered addresses shall be permitted to use water in the above manner on each Tuesday.
      3. Watering in the above manner shall be prohibited between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
      4. Plants which cannot be kept alive without daily watering may be permitted to be watered from a bucket, but not from the use of a hose on the days when watering is prohibited.
   2. All watering of grass, trees, plants or other vegetation at all parks and public buildings owned by the City of Ruidoso Downs which are watered using potable water shall be prohibited. Areas watered with legally treated effluent or well water are exempt from these restrictions, however frugal water use is strongly encourage.
   3. No water shall be used to wash any vehicle (including fund raising car washes at commercial businesses), except at places of business where autos are washed on every business day either with attendants, with automatic equipment or by self-service. The hours of operation of such businesses shall be limited to ten (10) hours per day.
   4. No swimming pools will be filled and no water shall be added to any swimming pool.
   5. It shall be the policy of the City of Ruidoso Downs to keep Stage 3 in effect for no longer than absolutely necessary. The City Administrator, may and the City Council shall take steps to lift the Stage 3 restrictions as soon as lifting the restrictions will not endanger the water supply by reducing amounts of water in storage.
7. PENALTY: Any person violating any of the provisions of this Ordinance can be fined in an amount not to exceed five hundred ($500.00) dollars or be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days, or be both fined and imprisoned. Each day that such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.