Batavia approves sod ban
By ERIC SCHELKOPF eschelkopf@kcchronicle.com
BATAVIA – City officials have enacted a sod ban during the summer as part of new water restrictions.
Aldermen on Monday approved the new rules, which prohibit the installation of new lawns or new landscaping from July 1 through Aug. 31, typically the driest months of the summer.
“It is a big drain on the water supply to try to keep that stuff alive,” John Dillon, Batavia’s water/sewer superintendent, has said.
The city also slightly revised its water conservation ordinance. Previously, the rules – which required residents only use unattended sprinklers from 6 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on odd-even days correlating to odd and even addresses – was in effect year-round.
The odd-even lawn sprinkling rules – which are still in place – now will apply specifically from May 1 to Sept. 30.
Dillon said excess watering is not a problem in the winter.
Violators will receive a $50 fine for the first offense and $100 fine for the second one. There would be a $200 fine for each subsequent offense.
Batavia is following the lead of neighboring communities like St. Charles. That city’s outdoor water conservation ordinance is in effect from May 1 through Aug. 31.
Although this spring has been wet, city officials are concerned about what has happened to the groundwater supplies in the past 20 years.
“Recent groundwater models have shown that as the population grows in the northeast region of Illinois, the groundwater supplies are becoming more depleted and some drinking water shortages will be apparent if steps are not taken to help conserve water,” Dillon has said.
