Lake Decatur Levels Could Mean More Water Restrictions

Lake Decatur water levels are about a foot below where the city would like them to be for this time of year.

Given the 10-day outlook for precipitation, Water Management Director Keith Alexander says it's more likely Decatur will again seek voluntary conservation measures, like it did late last summer.

The city had to enforce mandatory restrictions on use by October through most of December.

Alexander says there are plenty of things residents can do to cut down on water use.

"Not only does it help us out with conservation measures, but saves them dollars as well," he said. "Less water use means a lower water bill."

On any given day, Alexander says 75-percent of the city's water goes to commercial and industrial customers. Last year, the city asked restaurants to stop serving glasses of water, unless a patron asked for one.

"Reduce or eliminate all your outside landscape watering that you can possibly do," Alexander said. "Another thing to do would be to consider not doing any new landscape plantings this summer because it's going to be tough keeping those plants alive."

State climatologist Jim Angel says Decatur Airport registered .75 inches of rainfall in June, when normal precipitation for the month is 4.50 a half inches.