City Lifts Mandatory
Water Restrictions, Continues
Call for Conservation
DECATUR — Effective at noon today (December 18) the City of Decatur is ending Stage 1 Mandatory Water Restrictions implemented earlier this year in response to the worst drought the city has experienced since 1988.
The restrictions are being lifted due to the level of Lake Decatur rising and stabilizing at 83% full or higher since November 13. Today's level is 613.32 feet above mean sea level (86% full) which is almost 10 inches higher than the normal winter lake level.
Other reasons why the restrictions are being lifted include:
- The city's customer demand for water is always lowest from October through March.
- There is rain and snow forecast for the lake's watershed Wednesday night and Thursday.
- The latest 6 to 10 day and 8 to 14 day National Weather Service forecasts predict above average precipitation for all of Illinois.
- Flow from the Sangamon River into Lake Decatur continues to be higher than the amount of water pumped from the lake by the Decatur and Archer Daniels Midland Company water treatment plants.
The City wishes to thank all water customers for their outstanding efforts to voluntarily and mandatorily conserve water this year.
City Manager Ryan McCrady emphasized that the lifting of mandatory restrictions should by no means be seen as lessening the importance of finding a solution to the city's long-term water issues.
"The restrictions were a temporary solution to a long-standing, critical problem," he said. "Water represents the lifeline of our community, both for residential users and local industry, yet four times in the last seven years we've had to call for restrictions or request voluntary conservation because of the threat of shortages.
"It is a problem for cities across the country and one that we are continuing to work hard to solve in 2013."
Officials urge the community to continue to voluntarily conserve water by taking advantage of several water and money saving ideas, including:
- Fix leaking faucets, toilets and pipes.
- Replace high water use fixtures, faucets, toilets and appliances.
- Wash only full loads of laundry.
- Do not use toilets for trash disposal.
- Take shorter showers.
- Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
- Soak dishes before washing.
- Run dishwashers only when full.
For additional information contact Keith Alexander, Director of Water Management, at 424-2863.
