City Utilities of Springfield is working to make its customers aware that water supply levels have fallen so dramatically that planned conservation measures could impact the building industry – possibly with serious ramifications for home builders. The serious water situation faced by the community due to the ongoing drought bears close monitoring. The lakes that supply water for the City of Springfield are nearing historic low levels, today (August 27, 2012) standing at 63.4 percent, compared to a historical average of 80-plus percent.
If the water level declines to 60 percent, City Utilities, for the first time in its history, will implement an Emergency Water Conservation Plan. The plan was put in place to conserve water for essential uses, when severe water shortages become a real and present threat. At the present rate of decline, Stage One (Water Shortage) of the plan will be implemented by early September. The water level is updated daily on CU’s website, www.cityutilities.net. Anything you can do to save water today may help us prevent activation of the plan.
Stage one of the plan will impact construction activities, including:
- An 18 percent water rate increase for all customers, whether business or residential.
- Reduced lawn and landscape watering, which includes newly planted trees and grass.
- No water may be used for dust control.
- Fire hydrant water meters must be returned to City Utilities.
If the water supply continues to decline, more severe stages of the water conservation plan would take effect. Stage Two (Water Emergency) and Stage Three (Water Crisis) of the plan take hold if and when water supply levels fall to 55% and 50% of capacity, respectively. Increasing restrictions on water usage accompany each stage of the plan. In stage three, for example, no new water connections would be permitted, effectively shutting down new construction indefinitely.
Officials with the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield are in close contact with officials with City Utilities, City of Springfield, and Greene County to seek as much flexibility as possible, given the potential economic impact of restricted home building on an already weakened segment of the local economy. Discussions are centered around common sense solutions such as allowing for temporary certificates of occupancy on new homes, even if the lawn is not yet in place (due to lack of available irrigation).
The full C.U. Emergency Water Conservation Plan can be downloaded by clicking here.
Please thoroughly review the provisions and contact the HBA of Greater Springfield or City Utilities with questions.