by Dennis Dalman
Once again, Sartell Public Works Director John Kothenbeutel has expressed concerns about the city’s water supply being stressed because of this summer’s long drought conditions.
Kothenbeutel addressed the city council at its Aug.14 meeting.
He said the city may soon have to advise residents to water only two days per week, at least for perhaps a couple weeks. Currently, there is an odd-even watering day policy. If your address is 522 Dry Street, water only on even-numbered days, such as Aug 24. If your address is 523 Dry Street, water on odd-numbered days – Aug. 25, for example.
Kothenbeutel said the city has pumped 5.5 million gallons out of the ground every day since May, and that amount decreased to 4.5 million gallons in mid-July to August. Those amounts are far above “normal” summers, Kothenbeutel added. Water is being pumped 22 to 23 hours daily, and pumping equipment is running twice as much as it normally does.
After a recent rain, the next day the city had to pump only 3.5 million gallons – still a lot, however.
Watering restrictions are not being complied with as much as Kothenbeutel had hoped. Over time, though, quite a lot of people, he said, have gotten better at following the odd-even watering advisory.
“Days of rain are needed” to end the crisis, he said, along with good stewardship and good conservation measures.
