RIVERTON, Ill. (WAND) - Riverton, which recently asked citizens to conserve natural gas, is reporting improvements to price. 

Riverton was joined by Sullivan and others in asking people to lower usage, with the goal of reducing costs and lowering customer bills. Natural gas prices had spiked on several pipelines due to an increased usage as record cold hit Illinois and decreased production.

The good news Riverton said it had to offer Thursday night was a decrease in gas price to $6.03 per dekatherm. A dekatherm is a unit of energy primarily used to measure natural gas. 

It's still double the cost, according to Riverton leaders, but is "moving in the right direction." 

Residents are still asked to conserve gas "if at all possible" to keep costs down for February.

Safe reduction efforts can include lowering the thermostat in the home, limiting the operation of gas appliances and safely using an electric space heater.Â