The City of Houston has proposed changes to the drought ordinance that was put into effect last year in order to better manage water usage in times of drought and eliminate confusion over restrictions and and is seeking feedback from residents.
The deadline for posting feedback is August 17, 2012.
Although owners cannot control the actions of their residents, the proposed changes to the ordinance would seem to hold community owners responsible for the water usage of their residents during times of drought and the fees and penalties associated with excessive use. As an advocate of the multifamily industry and member of the Water Conservation Task Force, HAA's Vice President of Public Affairs, Andy Teas, voiced his concerns about the changes to Chair of the Committee on Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure, the Honorable Melissa Noreiga. To read the letter* submitted on behalf of HAA to the Houston City Council and Mayor, click here.
*Please note - the letter was written in reference to a previous draft of the ordinance.
HAA continues to work with the City of Houston in hopes of modifying the ordinance in a way that will provide the water conservation that an extreme drought event requires, without putting unattainable restrictions on multifamily water customers or requiring individual variance requests from customers.
HAA members can discuss legislative issues with HAA staff by emailing the Government Affairs Department.