OWASA May Lift Water Restrictions

OWASA Executive Director Ed Kerwin said the meeting is being held specifically to discuss the area's water supply.

Restrictions could be either lessened from Stage 2 to Stage 1 restrictions, or all restrictions could be eliminated completely, he said.

According to the OWASA Web site, Stage 1 restrictions would allow individuals to use water for irrigation or in sprinklers three times a week instead of once a week and would limit irrigation to 1 inch rather than a half-inch.

Residents also will be allowed to use OWASA water in fountains, ponds and pools.

Officials said an unusually wet October helped fill reservoirs to levels considered normal for this time of year. As of Thursday, University Lake was full and Cane Creek was about 6 1/2 feet below full.

Orange County experienced almost three times the average October rainfall this year, which "makes it the fourth wettest October in our rainfall records," Kerwin said.

He said total rainfall for the month of October was 10.12 inches at the Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant. Cane Creek experienced 8.36 inches of rain, 4.64 inches more than the average October rainfall.

These rains aided in refilling the reservoirs to normal levels, said OWASA Lake Warden Eric Barnhardt.

"It brought the river up quite a bit," Barnhardt said. "It made quite an impact."

He said if winter rains are normal, Cane Creek could be full by next spring.

Robert Glosson, the resident warden at University Lake, said people normally wash their cars, fill up swimming pools and water their yards less frequently as the weather becomes cooler. "When we went into this it was warmer out," he said. "The colder it gets, the less water we use."

But officials said they still will promote water conversation even if restrictions are lifted.

"Given the size of the community and amount of water we use in a year's time, conservation is always a continuing desire," Glosson said.

He said it is impossible to know what the winter will bring, even if the reservoirs are at normal levels now. "You can never count on what Mother Nature is going to throw at you."

Kerwin said a positive aspect of the drought is that it has succeeded in bringing a greater awareness of water conservation to the community.

"Even if mandatory water restrictions are lifted, it is a sustainable practice to use water wisely year round."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.