Decatur Urges Residents to Conserve Water

The oppressive heat that's blanketed parts of the region has prompted city officials in Decatur to ask residents to conserve their water use.

People living in the area have been advised to fix leaky faucets, wash only full loads of dishes and laundry and take shorter showers.

Lake Decatur is roughly 1.5 feet below its normal level and falling at a rate of half an inch a day. Residents make up less than a quarter of the lake's water consumption.

Water management director Keith Alexander said the city has started using water from a pit near the Lake Decatur dam, and he says it's possible it may have to also dip into the De Witt County well field. He said if that happens, customers would notice an increase in their utility bill.

"If we notice that these drought expenses are starting to inch up - if the drought continued - then we'd have to pass those costs onto our customers," Alexander said.

But Alexander said he is confident that a steady flow of rain will return, preventing any sort of dramatic change to the city's water supply.

"But we always have to plan for the worst case scenario when we enter these dry spells," he said. "So, at this point in time, we're asking for voluntary conversation. The next dramatic steps would be the potential for mandatory conservation."

The last time Decatur residents were required to conserve water was during a 2007 drought. For this year's heat-wave, Alexander cautions boaters using Lake Decatur to be careful of shallow areas, especially around docks and hoists.