WHITEFISH – The City of Whitefish is struggling with a precious resource and is looking to place strict guidelines for water usage.
Public Works Director Craig Workman tells MTN that with a rapidly-growing population and an increase during tourist season, the city’s water plant is exceeding the daily 3-million-gallon limit.
During the summer the city can use up to 4 million gallons a day. This extra million is forcing the city to look at restricting water usage with a possible water ordinance.
Workman says one restriction could prevent folks from watering their lawns from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during daylight hours.
“We’re trying to make sure that people concentrate irrigation on the grass and not on the sidewalk or pavement. There’s also measures in the ordinance to require hotels to let customers know that they don’t have to wash towels or linens every day,” says Workman.
The city will workshop this idea on Monday night during a city council meeting with public comment. If this moves forward, the ordinance will need to be approved by the city council to be placed into effect.
If passed, Whitefish hopes to have the ordinance in place by this summer.
