St. Charles May Consider Mandatory Water Conservation

may move to a mandatory water conservation order if water usage continues to soar. 

The city instituted a voluntary cutback on July 5, and for awhile, it worked. However, in the last few weeks, usage has crept back up. 

On average, the city uses 7.5 million gallons per day. In June 2012, the city averaged 11.5 million gallons per day and in July 2012 through the 16th, the city has averaged 13.4 million gallons of water per day. 

The average for July 2011 was 10.5 million gallons per day. 

The city is asking businesses, homeowner associations and others to cut back on water usage by at least 30 percent. Cut back from watering seven days a week to watering just three days a week, said Debra Aylsworth, director of public works. 

Aylsworth said continuing to operate at a such a high level creates a risk for failure of the pumps or mechanical systems. 

"A component of the system could fail," Aylsworth said. "If a componenet of our system fails we are at extreme risk of potentially, in certain areas, not being able to provide water at all." 

The city of Warrenton, MO recently moved to a mandatory ban on outdoor water use because of the drought conditions.