South Royalton
“Please refrain from any leisurely use such as car washing, extended showers/baths, etc.,” the water department said in a notice to users on Thursday. “We are sorry for any inconvenience, and thank you for your assistance during these dry days.”
Wayne Manning, who is on the board of the water department and also is the treatment plant operator, said on Friday the water district has about 200 meters, and major users include Vermont Law School and the South Royalton School.
He said the water department pumps and treats water out of the White River, but levels are a worry.
“The river is getting really low,” he said, and the department is concerned about its ability to continue drawing from the river if the situation persists.
He also said the water department has a reservoir, but it functions as a “reserve backup,” and also is affected by the dry weather.
“It wouldn’t last very long,” he said. “There’s no water coming into the reservoir.”
Asked if the conservation measures were voluntary, Manning said, “At the present time, it’s voluntary.”
A National Weather Service gauge on the White River in West Hartford on Friday measured the river at 102 cubic feet per second, and water levels at about 2.7 feet. By comparison, a typical discharge this time of year is 346 cubic feet per second.
In Lebanon, 26.9 inches of precipitation have been recorded for the year, according to AccuWeather.com, about 9.5 percent below normal rainfall levels.
Most of Windsor County is in a “moderate drought,” while weather conditions in Orange County and the Royalton area are more severe and classified as “abnormally dry,” according to the United States Drought Monitor website.
— Staff report