Water shortage plan with $532 fines was briefed to council on July 14

What the records say

At the July 14, 2026 council meeting, item 6.1.2 was a staff briefing on an updated Water Shortage Contingency Plan (Att-1) and proposed amendments to Bothell Municipal Code 18.06.140 (Att-2). The briefing says the updates would give the city authority to enforce mandated water curtailment measures through warnings and fines, with fines as a last resort during Mandatory, Emergency, or Immediate Crisis stages. A $532 water-use violation fine would be added to the 2027 Fee Schedule, aligned with existing meter tampering and water theft fees. Staff requested council feedback; the updated plan and code revisions will be presented to the council in fall 2026 ¹.

• The July 14 agenda included a staff briefing (item 6.1.2) on the Water Shortage Contingency Plan and BMC 18.06.140 update, with the draft plan and draft code text attached ¹
• A $532 water-use violation fine would be added to the 2027 Fee Schedule, aligned with existing meter tampering, water theft, unauthorized use, and waterline interference fees ¹
• Enforcement would escalate: a mailed notice for a first violation, a final warning for a second, civil penalties for subsequent violations (each day a separate offense), and possible irrigation shut-offs after more than three violations at the Public Works Director's discretion ¹
• The plan has four stages plus an immediate crisis response — Advisory, Voluntary, Mandatory, Emergency — with demand reduction goals of 15%, 30%, and 50% at the Voluntary, Mandatory, and Emergency stages; the Mandatory and Emergency stages are activated by the city council ¹
• The state Department of Ecology declared a statewide drought on April 8, 2026, but the areas served by Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett utilities — including Bothell's supplier, Seattle Public Utilities — do not anticipate customer impacts this summer ¹

Why it matters

Bothell has never activated the Mandatory or Emergency stages of its water shortage plan, and past shortages have been handled through voluntary reductions. The proposed code language would standardize violations, enable immediate enforcement when necessary, and set clear expectations for customers — meaning residents and businesses could face real penalties, not just requests to conserve, if strict stages are ever activated ¹.

What changed / what's next

• Staff proposed updating the Water Shortage Contingency Plan and amending BMC 18.06.140 to add warnings, civil penalties (a $532 fine to the 2027 Fee Schedule), and potential shut-offs for violations of mandatory water curtailment measures; the changes go to council for action in fall 2026 ¹
• The July 14 item was a staff briefing seeking council feedback; the packet does not establish any council action or the meeting's outcome ¹
• The updated WSCP and BMC 18.06.140 revisions are scheduled to be presented to the city council in fall 2026 ¹
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.