Emporia’s water supply situation is better Thursday morning than it was 24 hours earlier, but there are still some concerns as the heat wave continues — so the request for voluntary water conservation continues at this time.
City Manager Trey Cocking says concerns started developing Tuesday night and amplified Wednesday morning when water storage tanks near Interstate 35 and Industrial Park 3 didn’t refill as normal, thanks to the demand — especially from Emporia’s industrial business sector — that has gone at least 50 percent above the normal flow at times this week.
Through Friday evening, residents are asked to stop washing cars at home, watering lawns or filling swimming pools. They are also asked to limit indoor water use as much as possible.
Cocking says the water bowl at Industrial Park 3 near South and Carter was almost completely empty early Wednesday and the tower on East 12th near Interstate 35 was two-thirds drained. The water storage tanks near 24th and Industrial were full, but the demand earlier this week meant the pumps couldn’t fill the water towers further east.
Both water towers have refilled. Cocking says the city’s biggest industrial partner is starting its water use around midday, so city leaders will determine how best to proceed after it comes online.
Residents are also asked to report any and all water leaks to Public Works at 620-340-6339. A leak in a recent trouble spot — the 1000 block of Weaver Street — took several hours to fix Wednesday.
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5:20 am Thursday: Emporia city leaders still asking for voluntary water conservation; seven people to Newman Regional Health for heat illnesses
Emporia city leaders are urging residents to conserve water so the city can avoid a boil alert of some level from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Here’s City Manager Trey Cocking:
Residents were initially asked to conserve by halting car washes and lawn watering, as well as limiting indoor water use, through Wednesday. Late in the day, city leaders extended that request through Friday evening. Cocking said the water bowl at Industrial Park 3 near South and Carter was almost completely empty and the tower on East 12th near Interstate 35 was two-thirds drained. The water storage tanks near 24th and Industrial were full, but the demand earlier this week meant the pumps couldn’t fill the water towers further east. Both towers have since refilled.
Cocking stressed there was ample water supply in the Neosho River, where the city gets its drinking water.
Residents and businesses were drawing as much as 11 million gallons of water per day earlier this week, well above the norm of 6-8 million gallons a day.
Residents are also asked to report any and all water leaks to Public Works at 620-340-6339. A leak in a recent trouble spot — the 1000 block of Weaver Street — took several hours to fix Wednesday.
The heat so far this week resulted in four people going to Newman Regional Health’s emergency room for treatment of heat-related issues Tuesday and three others Monday. All have since been released. Wednesday’s report should be announced Thursday morning.
The weather has also prompted the city of Emporia to start residential and commercial trash pickup earlier than normal — 5 am — Thursday and Friday. Residents and business owners are asked to plan accordingly.
