Abilene Addresses Water Emergency Situation

KSAL Staff - Fri 04:17 PM 06/29/2012

Abilene urges all water customers to review water use and watering practices to help reduce demand

The City of Abilene manages to avoid issuing a water warning to residents.

According to the city, dry conditions over the previous six to eight months have stressed the water supply as demand for water has increased. A temporary equipment malfunction at one of the city wells caused problems.

While the well was briefly out of service, the city’s water towers dropped in stored capacity as demand continued at high levels. Fortunately, the City’s water towers reached an appropriate level of storage capacity in the span of about twelve hours and a Water Emergency was not necessary.

“The City’s Water Treatment Plant operates at three levels: low, medium, and high. The City has been producing water at its highest level as water customers demand it,” says Public Works Director Lon Schrader. “When a piece of equipment goes down, even temporarily, the City must use water stored in the water towers. At peak demand, it does not take long before the entire system is strained.”

When equipment malfunctions occur, Abilene may request voluntary conservation. In serious conditions, the city also has the authority to require mandatory water conservation measures.

Under normal conditions, the Water Treatment Plant produces about one million gallons of potable water per day. Lately, the plant has been producing about three million gallons per day to accommodate the demand. “ During this period of hot and dry weather, Abilene urges all water customers to review water use and watering practices to help reduce demand. As a reminder, the city currently has a prohibition on outside watering between the hours of 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

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