Madison Water Utility, a public utility under city control, may impose odd-even or time-of-day lawn-watering restrictions during peak demand or drought to protect aquifer levels and maintain firefighting reserves across the isthmus service area.
The Madison Water Utility Board can declare watering advisories, restrictions, or emergencies under its administrative rules and Wis. Stat. ch. 196 utility authority. Typical restrictions limit irrigation to early-morning or evening hours and may impose odd-even house-number watering during heat waves. Customers connected to municipal water are bound; private wells outside the service area are not. The utility also runs leak-detection programs to reduce nonrevenue water. Enforcement uses warning letters first, then surcharges added to the water bill. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin oversees rate and service-rule changes that govern restrictions.
Repeat irrigation during a declared restriction can lead to surcharges of $25-$100 per occurrence on the water bill, and chronic offenders may face flow restrictors or temporary irrigation-meter disconnection.
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