Stafford officials will increase the level of mandatory water restrictions on Monday, October 8, 2007 to help maintain the water levels in the County’s two water reservoirs, Abel Lake and Smith Lake.  

The Board of Supervisors declared a public water supply emergency in Stafford on August 21, 2007. The declaration authorized the County Administrator to implement mandatory water restrictions as needed. After closely monitoring water demand, levels at the reservoirs and the weather on a daily basis, the County Administrator implemented mandatory restrictions on September 17, 2007. The restrictions prohibited the watering of lawns.

Water demand has decreased by an average of about one to two million gallons per day since the restrictions went into effect, but the lack of significant rainfall – in the past few weeks and in the forecast for at least the next two weeks – has made the situation even more critical. Levels at both reservoirs have dropped about 1 inch to 1.5 inches per day over the last seven days. Under the current situation, the County has just 119 days of water left. Abel Lake has 63 percent of usable water left, and Smith Lake has about 47 percent of usable water left.

 “Although the majority of our water customers have been following the restrictions, leading to a decrease in demand, some of our customers continue to water their lawns,” said County Administrator Steve Crosby. “We are in the middle of a major water emergency, and there will be serious consequences for those customers who continue to violate these increased restrictions.”

The increased restrictions prohibit the following water uses:

1. Outdoor watering with the following exceptions: indoor plantings, greenhouse or nursery stocks. Homeowners may still hand-carry water to individual plantings using a three gallon or smaller container. Newly seeded lawns and watering by commercial nurseries of freshly planted plants, can be watered upon planting and once a week, until October 22, 2007, which is five weeks from the date that the Board declared a public water emergency. After October 22, there shall be no watering of newly seeded lawns and freshly planted plants.

2. The washing of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes, or any other type of mobile equipment, except in facilities operating with an alternate water source or with a water recycling system approved by the Director of Utilities; provided, however, that any facility operating with a water recycling system shall prominently display in public view a notice approved by the Director of Utilities stating that such recycling system is in operation.  In lieu of the provisions hereof, the County Administrator may limit the hours of operation of commercial enterprises offering such services.

3. The washing of streets, sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, service station aprons, tennis courts, other hard surfaced areas, office buildings, exteriors of homes or apartments, or other outdoor surfaces. Commercial power washing businesses may apply to the Director of Utilities for a waiver from this provision.

4. The operation of any ornamental fountain or other structure making a similar use of water.

5. The filling of swimming and/or wading pools, or the refilling of swimming and/or wading pools, which were drained after October 1, 2007.

6. The use of water from fire hydrants for any purposes other than fire suppression, other public emergencies, masonry construction, and uses required by an approved erosion and sediment control plan.

7. The serving of drinking water in restaurants, cafeterias or any other food establishment unless requested by the customer.

8. The sale of bulk water, except at the wastewater treatment facilities.

9. Irrigation of golf courses with public water.

10. Unrestricted irrigation of athletic fields.

These restrictions apply only to customers of Stafford’s public water system. Residents who own wells or who have private sources of water such as ponds, are not subject to the restrictions.

Violators of the restrictions will have their water turned off by the Department of Utilities. They will have to pay a reconnection fee to restore their water service. For more information, please contact the Department of Utilities at (540) 658-8616.

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