Water Shortage Advisories
The City of Hendersonville would like to make its Water Shortage Response Plan known to the public in the event of low water levels.
The City of Hendersonville has a response plan prepared to reduce potable water demand and supplement existing drinking water supplies whenever they are in danger of being inadequate to meet customer needs. The City Manager is authorized to enact water shortage response provisions whenever the trigger conditions outlined in the City of Hendersonville’s Water Shortage Response Plan are met. This is done to ensure the safety of residents and preserve our water supply.
There are four stages of water shortage response the city will progress into if low water levels exist.
Stage 1 Water Shortage Advisory
Voluntary Restrictions - Water users are encouraged to “voluntarily” reduce their water use and improve water use efficiency; however, no penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions indicate a potential for shortage.
Voluntary measures include, but are not limited to:
- Limit lawn and garden watering to that which is necessary for plants to survive;
- Do not wash down outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, parking lots, service bays, aprons, etc.;
- Limit car washing to a minimum;
- Water shrubbery to the minimum required, reusing household water when possible;
- Do not leave faucets running while shaving, brushing teeth, or rinsing dishes;
- Limit flushing of toilets by multiple usage;
- Limit use of clothes washers and dishwashers, and when used, operate fully loaded;
- Take showers rather than bathing and limit the duration of showers;
- The use of disposable and biodegradable dishes is encouraged;
- The use of flow-restrictive and water-saving devices is encouraged;
- Limit hours of operation of water-cooled air conditioners;
- All residents, businesses, and institutions are requested to temporarily delay new landscape work until the water shortage has ended.
Stage 2A Water Shortage Alert, Level 1
Mandatory Restrictions - In addition to the voluntary measures encouraged in the previous stage, water users must abide required water use reduction and efficiency measures by reducing water usage by 10% of the prior months water bill, or reduce water usage by 20% of the average water usage amount during non-water shortage months; penalties may apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions are significantly lower than the seasonal norm and water shortage conditions are expected to persist.
- No car washing except by commercial facilities equipped to recycle water
- No washing exterior surfaces such as sidewalks, patios, parking lots, service bays, aprons, etc.
- Limit irrigation to only that which is needed for plants to survive
- Limit testing and training uses
Stage 2B Water Shortage Alert, Level 2
Mandatory Restrictions - Water users must abide required water use reduction and efficiency measures, including reduction of an additional 10% of water usage from the prior months water bill, or reduce water usage by 30% of the average water usage amount during non-water shortage months; penalties apply for noncompliance. Water supply conditions are significantly lower than the seasonal norm and water shortage conditions are expected to persist.
Stage 3 Water Shortage Emergency
Water supply conditions are substantially diminished and pose an imminent threat to human health or environmental integrity; remaining supplies must be allocated to preserve human health and environmental integrity.
- Non-essential uses banned
- Purchasing water from other sources
- Water rationing in effect
For questions contact Hendersonville Water & Sewer:
(828) 697-3073 (8:00am-5:00pm M-F)
(828) 891-7779 (After hours, weekends and holidays)
