Bartlesville remains in Stage 2 of the Water Shortage Ordinance — the City’s drought contingency plan — while inching closer to Stage 3. However, rain predicted this week could affect the direction either way, Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen said Monday.
“Water supply continues to decline, but rains forecasted this week may provide some relief. Certainly, we hope that is the case,” Lauritsen said.
Bartlesville and the surrounding area has been battling drought conditions since last December, thanks to declining lake levels at the City’s primary water sources, Hulah, Copan and Hudson lakes.
The problem is extreme lack of rainfall in the watershed for both lakes, which are located in close proximity to one another in Southeast Kansas. Last measured, the area was approximately 20 inches below normal precipitation for the year.
In response, the City enacted the Water Shortage Ordinance last December for the first time since its creation in the early 2000s, following the 2001-02 drought. Emergency water rates were imposed in the spring of this year, which drove consumption down and helped protect area water supply until rain in the Kansas watershed area in July filled Hulah Lake, from which the City obtains 60 percent of its overall water supply.
But ongoing drought conditions continue to plague the area. As of Monday, overall water remaining is 59.4 percent, which is down from last week’s 60.8 percent. And the weighted water supply, which is based on the City’s water rights, is at 76.5 percent, also down from last week’s 78.8 percent.
“We are at the threshold of moving into Stage 3 restrictions, which is when overall water supply hits between 50-60 percent and the weighted water supply is below 75 percent,” Lauritsen said.
Stage 2 restrictions limit outdoor water use to twice per week, with even-numbered properties allowed to water on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and odd-numbered properties allowed to water on Wednesdays and Sundays.
“If we move to Stage 3, that further limits outdoor water use to one time per week, with even-numbered properties allowed to water outdoors on Saturdays and odd-numbered properties allowed to water outdoors on Sundays,” Lauritsen said.
Exceptions to outdoor water use restrictions are landscape watering by means of hand-held hose only or watering can, commercial plant nursery, brief watering for testing of a new automatic irrigation system or after repair or adjustment of an existing irrigation system, landscape watering using non-potable water through rain water collection or grey water. (Grey water is relatively clean water from baths, showers, washing machines, sinks and other appliances.)
Emergency water rates
Average consumption last week went up to 5.61 million gallons per day (mgd), compared to the week prior when average consumption was 5.28 million gallons per day.
Consumption, based on which stage of the ordinance the area is currently in, helps determine when emergency water rates are imposed.
In Stage 2, emergency rates are not imposed unless consumption exceeds 5.5 mgd, which is the average rate of consumption. In Stage 3, emergency rates may be enacted by the City Council when consumption exceeds 4.75 mgd.
“Unfortunately, consumption went up last week,” Lauritsen said. “The average consumption since we’ve been in Stage 2 restrictions is 5.41 million gallons per day, which is just under the threshold that triggers the Stage 2 emergency water rates. If we move to Stage 3, the consumption threshold is reduced to 4.75 million gallons per day. Thus, if we move to Stage 3, we will likely request the City Council authorize emergency water rates.”
Lauritsen said staff may request that Stage 2 emergency water rates, which are lower than Stage 3 rates, be imposed initially “to see how that impacts consumption.”
“If we are able to drive consumption down using lower rates, of course that would be optimal,” he said.
He said any revenue generated by the emergency rates is used to make improvements to the water system and/or to encourage conservation.
“The sole purpose of these rates is to drive consumption down by encouraging less water use,” Lauritsen said. “The revenue generated by the rates is fairly insignificant in terms of City operations, but emergency rate increases have been proven to be the most powerful tool we have for encouraging conservation. In fact, it is the only thing that has had a measurable impact since the Water Shortage Ordinance was put into effect last December.”