FAQs • South St. Paul, MN • CivicEngage

Can I wash my car during the sprinkling ban hours?: Yes. Be sure to use a shut-off nozzle on your hose, do not waste water by letting it run freely out of the hose. The recommended greeng method of washing your car at home is to wash it on the grass.

Rinse the car off with a hose. In this way, you have used a minimum of water, and the dirty, soapy water will be filtered by the lawn instead of going directly into the city’s storm drain.

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Engineering - Water - Watering Schedule

1. When is the sprinkling ban?: The sprinkling ban is every day between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This applies to all property within the City of South St. Paul.

2. Why is the city instituting a sprinkling ban?: The city is required by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to have a Water Supply Plan. This Water Supply Plan is also part of the city's Comprehensive Plan.

These plans are required and must be approved by various state agencies. The DNR is requiring cities to adopt several conservation measures before they will approve the Water Supply Plan. One of these measures is lawn sprinkling ban during the hours of highest water evaporation.

Another measure is changing the water rate structure to charge more for water use as the use increases. In order for the MDH to issue the city its 2011 Water Appropriations Permit, the city had to get the DNR approval of the Water Supply Plan.

Therefore, the city, like all other cities, had to institute a lawn sprinkling ban. The city bans lawn irrigation between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. This ban is good common sense and has been widely practiced in other cities for several years.

3. Are my kids allowed to play in the sprinkler during the day?: Yes, but when the kids are not playing in the sprinkler, turn the sprinkler off.

4. Can I wash my car during the sprinkling ban hours?: Yes. Be sure to use a shut-off nozzle on your hose, do not waste water by letting it run freely out of the hose. The recommended greeng method of washing your car at home is to wash it on the grass.

Rinse the car off with a hose. In this way, you have used a minimum of water, and the dirty, soapy water will be filtered by the lawn instead of going directly into the city’s storm drain.

5. What if I water the garden using soaker hoses?: Soaker hoses are a great way to water your garden, shrubs, and trees. These hoses minimize the water lost to overspray, runoff, and evaporation. However, the sprinkling ban does not allow unattended watering from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

6. Can I hand water my garden?: You may hand water your garden, however it is recommended you use a shut-off valve on your hose. A green recommendation is to use a watering can in stead of your hose.

7. What if I have new sod or am seeding my lawn?: The city will allow you to water your grass seed or new sod. While seed requires more consistent watering to keep it wet but without puddles, sod should be watered in the early morning, in the evening, and on very dry and hot days, at mid-day.

8. What happens if I violate the sprinkling ban?: The city will leave a notice on your door reminding you of the sprinkling ban the first time. However, further violations will result in a $25 administrative fine, and will double with each subsequent violation
within a 12-month period.

9. Who should be called if someone is violating the ban?: Call the city’s Engineering office at 651-554-3210 or the city’s Public Works Department at 651-554-3225.