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Water Conservation/Drought Management

Water Conservation

Voluntary Conservation Stage

We encourage everyone to voluntarily conserve water by reducing the amount of potable (drinking) water used through various water saving strategies.

Voluntary Conservation includes the following:

  • Avoid hose washing sidewalks, driveways, and other parking/paved surfaces.
  • Cars and other vehicles should be hand washed, rinsed with a hose with a positive shutoff nozzle, at a commercial car wash, or with recycled water.
  • Avoid using water to clean, fill or maintain levels in decorative fountains or ponds unless it has a water recycling system.
  • Encourage restaurants to serve drinking water only to customers who request it.
  • Promptly repair leaks from indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures.
  • Water lawns (suggested) before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Prevent water from running off from landscaped areas due to incorrectly directed or maintained sprinklers or excessive watering.

Drought Conditions

There are four stages of drought declarable in New York State.  The following restrictions coincide with New York State drought restrictions and the Town of Schodack Code Chapter 215, Water Use, 215-4.  Prohibitions.

Stage One Restrictions – Normal (mandatory)

Gardens and Lawn

  • You can water residential or commercial gardens and lawns at any time, on any day using a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle.
  • You can water gardens and lawns using a watering system (manual, automatic, spray or dripper) only on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Alternate days mean people may use their watering systems on an odd and even day approach.
  • Even and no-numbered properties may water on even dates.  The 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on.Odd-numbered properties may water on odd dates.  The 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on.

Hard Surfaces

  • You cannot hose down hard surfaces including driveways, sidewalks, decking or other paved surfaces except where cleaning is necessary because of an accident, fire, health hazard, safety hazard or other emergency.
  • You can use a pressure washer, a hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or a bucket during construction or renovation.

Vehicle Washing

  • You can wash your car, truck, boat, or recreational vehicle at home providing you use a pressure washer, hand-held hose fitted with a positive shut off nozzle or a bucket at any time. 

Sporting Grounds

  • Schools can water sports grounds and gardens in accordance with the times under Stage One restrictions

Pools, Spas and Water toys

  • A new pool or spa of up to five hundred gallons can be filled by means of a hand-held hose or bucket.
  • An existing pool or spa of any size can be topped-off using an automatic top-off device, hand-held hose, or bucket.
  • A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time.

Water Tankers

  • Water tankers must not be filled or topped-off unless:
    • The Town of Schodack Water Department has granted a permit to the operator of the tanker; and
    • The tanker is supplying water used inside a dwelling, for firefighting purposes, construction, or dust suppression and other public health purposes.

Commercial Car Washes

  • Commercial car washes must use high-pressure cleaning devices only.  A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle may be used.  Open-ended hoses are not permitted.

Dust Suppression

  • Water must not be used to suppress dust, other than during construction referred to in the Construction section unless dust is causing a health, safety, or environmental hazard; and then only by means of:
    • A water tanker permitted in accordance with the Water Tanker section of rules; or
    • A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by a watering can filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap.

Construction

  • Water must not be used in construction except:
    • By means of a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by bucket or another container, filled by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap; or
    • By construction equipment which requires a water supply for its safe and efficient operation; or
    • Water used in the normal course of initial testing or flushing of pipes or other 

Exceptions

  • We can grant exceptions to water restrictions in extraordinary circumstances including filling new swimming pools and watering new lawns.  All exceptions must be prior approved and coordinated with the Town of Schodack Water Department Monday - Friday 7a.m. to 3:30p.m.

Stage Two Restrictions – Watch (mandatory)

Gardens and Lawns

  • You can water residential or commercial gardens at any time, on any day using a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle.
  • Residential or commercial lawns cannot be watered at any time.
  • You can water gardens using a watering system (manual, automatic, spray or dripper) only on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
    • Alternate days mean people may use their watering systems on an odd and even day approach.
    • Even and no-numbered properties may water on even dates.  The 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on.
    • Odd-numbered properties may water on odd dates.  The 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on.

Hard Surfaces

  • You cannot hose down hard surfaces including driveways, sidewalks, decking or other paved surfaces except where cleaning is necessary because of an accident, fire, health hazard, safety hazard or other emergency.
  • You can use a pressure washer, a hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or a bucket during construction or renovation.

Vehicle Washing

  • You can wash your car, truck, boat, or recreational vehicle at home providing you use a pressure washer, hand-held hose fitted with a positive shut off nozzle or a bucket at any time.

Sporting Grounds

  • Schools can water sports grounds and gardens in accordance with the times under Stage Two restrictions.

Pools, Spas and Water toys

  • A new pool or spa of up to five hundred gallons can be filled by means of a hand-held hose or bucket.
  • An existing pool or spa of any size can be topped-off using an automatic top-off device, hand-held hose, or bucket only on the alternate day schedule between 7 and 9 a.m. or 7 and 9 p.m.
  • A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time.

Water Tankers

  • Water tankers must not be filled or topped-off unless:
    • The Town of Schodack Water Department has granted a permit to the operator of the tanker; and
    • The tanker is supplying water used inside a dwelling, for firefighting purposes, construction, or dust suppression and other public health purposes.

Commercial Car Washes

  • Commercial car washes must use high-pressure cleaning devices only.  A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle may be used.  Open-ended hoses are not permitted.

Dust Suppression

  • Water must not be used to suppress dust, other than during construction referred to in the Construction section unless dust is causing a health, safety, or environmental hazard; and then only by means of:
    • A water tanker permitted in accordance with the Water Tanker section of rules; or
    • A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by a watering can filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap.

Construction

  • Water must not be used in construction except:
    • By means of a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by bucket or another container, filled by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap; or
    • By construction equipment which requires a water supply for its safe and efficient operation; or
    • Water used in the normal course of initial testing or flushing of pipes or other works.

Exceptions

  • We can grant exceptions to water restrictions in extraordinary circumstances including filling new swimming pools and watering new lawns.  All exceptions must be prior approved and coordinated with the Town of Schodack Water Department Monday - Friday 7a.m. to 3:30p.m.

Stage Three Restrictions – Warning (mandatory)

Gardens and Lawns

  • You can water residential or commercial gardens on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
  • Residential or commercial lawns cannot be watered at any time.
  • You can water gardens using a watering system (manual, automatic, spray or dripper) only on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
    • Alternate days mean people may use their watering systems on an odd and even day approach.
    • Even and no-numbered properties may water on even dates.  The 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on.
    • Odd-numbered properties may water on odd dates.  The 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on.

Hard Surfaces

  • You cannot hose down hard surfaces including driveways, paths, concrete, tiles, timber decking and other paved areas, except where cleaning is necessary because of an accident, fire, health hazard, safety hazard or other emergency.
  • You can use a high-pressure cleaning unit, or if such a unit is not available, a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or a bucket during construction or renovation.

Vehicle Washing

  • You can wash the windows, mirrors, lights, registration plates, spot removing corrosive substances off your car, boat or other vehicle at home using a bucket or watering can; or at a commercial car wash, and only where cleaning is required for health and safety reasons or another emergency.

Sporting Grounds

  • Schools can water sports grounds and gardens using a watering system (manual, automatic, spray or dripper) only on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
    • Alternate days means using their watering systems on an odd and even day approach.
    • Even and no-numbered properties may water on even dates.  The 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on.
    • Odd-numbered properties may water on odd dates.  The 1st, 3rd, 5th and so on.

Pools, Spas and Water toys

  • A new or existing pool or spa of any capacity cannot be filled.
  • Only existing residential or commercial pools or spas of any size can be topped-off on alternate days before 9 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. using a hand-held hose, bucket or watering can or by using an automatic water top-off device.
  • A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time.

Water Tankers

  • Water tankers must not be filled or topped-off unless:
    • The Town of Schodack Water Department has granted a permit to the operator of the tanker; and
    • The tanker is supplying water used inside a dwelling, for firefighting purposes, construction, or dust suppression and other public health purposes.

Commercial Car Washes

  • A commercial car wash must not operate unless it will not use more than seventy gallons of water for every vehicle washed.

Dust Suppression

  • Water must not be used to suppress dust, other than during construction referred to in the Construction section unless dust is causing a health, safety, or environmental hazard; and then only by means of:
    • A water tanker permitted in accordance with the Water Tanker section of rules; or
    • A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by a watering can filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap.

Construction

  • Water must not be used in construction except:
    • By means of a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by bucket or another container, filled by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap; or
    • By construction equipment which requires a water supply for its safe and efficient operation; or
    • Water used in the normal course of initial testing or flushing of pipes or other works.

Exceptions

  • We can grant exceptions to water restrictions in extraordinary circumstances including filling new swimming pools and watering new lawns.  All exceptions must be prior approved and coordinated with the Town of Schodack Water Department Monday - Friday 7a.m. to 3:30p.m.

Stage Four Restrictions – Emergency (mandatory)

Gardens and Lawns

  • Residential and commercial gardens, lawns and playing surfaces cannot be watered at any time.

Hard Surfaces

  • You cannot hose down hard surfaces including driveways, paths, concrete, tiles, timber decking and other paved areas, except where cleaning is necessary because of an accident, fire, health hazard, safety hazard or other emergency.
  • You can use a high-pressure cleaning unit, or if such a unit is not available, a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or a bucket during construction or renovation.

Vehicle Washing

  • You can wash the windows, mirrors, lights, registration plates, spot removing corrosive substances off your car, boat or other vehicle at home using a bucket or watering can; or at a commercial car wash, and only where cleaning is necessary for health and safety reasons or another emergency.

Sporting Grounds

  • Schools cannot water sporting grounds, lawns, and gardens at any time.

Pools, Spas and Water toys

  • A new or existing pool or spa of any capacity cannot be filled.
  • New or existing pools or spas can only be topped-off using a bucket or watering can.
  • A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time.

Water Tankers

  • Water tankers must not be filled or topped-off unless:
    • The Town of Schodack Water Department has granted a permit to the operator of the tanker; and
    • The tanker is supplying water used inside a dwelling, for firefighting purposes, construction, or dust suppression and other public health purposes.

Commercial Car Washes

  • A commercial car wash must not use water to clean any part of a vehicle other than its windows, mirrors, and lights, and for spot removing corrosive substances, and then only with a bucket filled directly from a tap (not by hose).

Dust Suppression

  • Water must not be used to suppress dust, unless dust is causing a health, safety, or environmental hazard; and then only by means of:
    • A water tanker permitted in accordance with the Water Tanker section of these rules; or
    • A hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by a watering can filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap.

Construction

  • Water must not be used in construction except:
  • By means of a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or by bucket or another container, filled by a hand-held hose fitted with a positive shutoff nozzle, or directly from a tap; or
  • By construction equipment which requires a water supply for its safe and efficient operation.

Exceptions

  • We can grant exceptions to water restrictions in extraordinary circumstances.  All exceptions must be prior approved and coordinated with the Town of Schodack Water Department Monday - Friday 7a.m. to 3:30p.m.