CULLMAN – The Cullman County Commission today announced that the Cullman County Water Department has enacted their Emergency Water Conservation Plan, Phase I. Phase I goes into effect when Lake Catoma, the water source for almost all of Cullman County, falls to 15 feet below full pool. Catoma is now at 17-and-a-half feet below full pool.
This means that residents who receive their water bills from the Cullman County Water Department are now under the following restrictions:
Prohibited uses applicable to all customers
- There shall be no hose washing of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, or parking areas, except that flammable or other dangerous substances may be disposed of by direct hose flushing for the benefit of public health and safety.
- No water shall be used to clean, fill, or maintain levels in swimming pools or decorative fountains unless such water is part of a recycling system.
- No restaurant, hotel, cafe, cafeteria, or other public place where food is sold, served, or offered for sale, shall serve drinking water to any customer unless expressly requested.
- No customer of the System shall permit water to leak from any facility on his premises; failure to effect a timely repair. of any leak shall subject said customer to all penalties provided herein for waste of water.
- No lawn, landscape, or other turf areas including vegetable or flower gardens shall be watered or irrigated using water from the System until adequate water supplies are available.
- No washing of automobiles, trucks, tractors, trailers, or any other vehicle or part thereof will be permitted until normal conditions are reinstated.
City of Cullman Water customers were placed under the City's Emergency Water Conservation Plan, Phase II three weeks ago when Catoma fell to 15 feet below full pool.
That means that ALL customers of City of Cullman Water were placed under the following restrictions at that time:
- No hose washing of sidewalks, walkways, driveways or parking areas.
- No pressure washing of homes or businesses, except that flammable or other dangerous substances may be disposed of by direct hose flushing for the benefit of public health and safety.
- No water from the system shall be used to clean, fill, or maintain levels in swimming pools except at hospitals or fitness centers when those are used for medical purposes.
- No water shall be used to fill decorative fountains, unless such water is part of a recycling system.
- No charity car washes are allowed.
- No customer shall permit water to leak from any facility on his premises.
- Limited lawn, landscape or other turf areas including vegetable or flower gardens, other than commercial nurseries, shall be watered or irrigated using water from the system.
- Limited washing of automobiles, trucks, tractors, trailers or any other vehicle or part thereof will be permitted until normal conditions are reinstated.
There has been some confusion over which customers are to follow which restrictions. It is important to understand that the City's restrictions apply to all customers, whether they be residential, business or wholesale. Cullman County Water and other municipal water companies including Garden City, Johnsons Crossing and VAW, etc. are customers of City of Cullman Water; however, each water system should have its own emergency water conservation plan and share it with their direct customers at the appropriate time.
Catoma fell to 15 feet below full pool on Oct. 27 and 17 feet below on Nov. 7. Today, Nov. 16, it is holding at 17-and-a-half feet. David Freeman, manager of the Cullman City Water Treatment Plant, attributes the decrease in the rate of the water lowering to the fact that the City's restrictions have been in place. Freeman says that the plant is putting out about 9 million gallons of finished water per day now, as opposed to the normal rate of 10 million gallons per day.
But he does think that next week might mean more restrictions.
"If we don't get any rain, by next week we could be down to the next level," said Freeman.
That means 20 feet below pool, which would trigger the next phase in all emergency water conservation plans.
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Background:
http://www.cullmansense.com/articles/2016/11/07/phase-ii-water-restrictions-remain-place-catoma-falls-17-feet-below-full-pool
http://www.cullmansense.com/articles/2016/10/27/phase-ii-water-restrictions-now-place
http://cullmansense.com/articles/2016/09/30/cullman-area-edging-closer-water-restrictions
