WASHINGTON — The city of Washington joined Daviess County and the rest of the immediate area in conserving water.
Friday, Mayor Joe Wellman issued an executive order asking residents to use water for essential needs only. The order was issued in the morning, joining the town of Montgomery and Daviess County Rural Water in issuing conservation orders this week.
The drought and recent heat wave may also affect I-69 construction timetables if there is not enough water.
Wellman said Friday the order was voluntary only and the city has plenty of water in its wells and water treatment system.
“We are OK at this point,” Wellman said. “It is a good time to think ahead and start conserving.”
The city, Wellman said, has been watching the water supply for the past week to 10 days, and although there is water there, the ongoing drought and heat wave have brought concerns.
But, the city does have enough water to keep the city water park going. Wellman said the decision to keep the park open was a “balance between conservation and the needs of its citizens.”
The city will continue to evaluate the water in its wells and if there is no rain, there could be direct restrictions that involve citations.
All of southwest Indiana is under extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Some areas have asked residents to voluntarily conserve water while communities contract with Patoka Lake Regional Water and Sewer have enacted actual bans due to a very low Patoka Lake.
Daviess County Rural Water customers have been asked to conserve for at least a week. But some are not happy as some have told the Times Herald water levels are dangerously low in the northern parts of Daviess County. But, according to Rural Water, there’s not much they can do until there is some rain.
Some livestock and turkey farmers have taken emergency measures in case the water shuts down on their farms. Diana Seitz, office manager of Rural Water, said Friday there would not be any shutdowns. Rural Water board member Jerry Lawyer also said they do not want to have anyone shut down.
“There’s no way to truck in water to an entire water system,” Lawyer said.
Lawyer said he went through the last drought in 1988, and this year’s feels worse.
“That one didn’t last as long (as this year),” Lawyer said.
Rural Water does not have any contracts for I-69 construction, but some are upset because of concrete plants spread throughout the county that need large amounts of water.
Walsh Construction, the contractors hired to build the interstate in Daviess County, has more than one concrete plant in Daviess County. The plant on U.S. 50 has a contract for temporary water service from the city of Washington.
Cher Elliott, a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation’s Vincennes District, said Friday there has not yet been any orders to temporarily curtail concrete construction.
“We’ve got about 10 miles of four-lane highway we have to pave,” Elliott said. “If the contractor couldn’t produce the concrete as needed, it would delay the process of construction of I-69.”
The interstate from Evansville to Crane is on schedule for completion by the end of 2012.
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