Water crisis declaration aims to curb usage

By LAUREN L. DILLARD

Of the News-Register

LAFAYETTE - Until further notice, the city of Lafayette will operate under a Level One water crisis declaration issued administratively earlier in the week by the city staff, the council decided Thursday.

"We are at the point now that just asking people to conserve isn't enough," said Public Works Foreman Jim Anderson. And the council concurred with his assessment.

Effective immediately, all residents are restricted to an even/odd watering schedule. Residents with even-numbered addresses can water only on even-numbered days and vice versa.

All residents are being notified by mail. Residents of two subdivisions, Morgan's Vineyard and Lafayette Plantation, are getting door-hanger notices as well because the developments are equipped with automated, underground sprinkler systems.

Dayton, which shares a well-field with Lafayette, has also declared a water crisis and implemented an even/odd watering schedule in response.

Residents will be receiving notices. Violators will be subject to fines ranging from $100 to $500.

Lafayette relies on a 500,000-gallon reservoir designed to remain at 28.5 feet. When the level falls below 22 feet, hydrants are no longer able to sustain adequate firefighting flows.

The reservoir fell to the 19- to 20-foot level earlier in the week. However, the city shut off water for four hours Thursday night, enabling it to push the reservoir level back up to 27.9 feet.

Anderson told the council he was on the verge of declaring a Level Two crisis, which calls for more severe restrictions. But he said he felt comfortable with the Level One declaration at this point.

He said the combination of the four-hour stutdown and the even-off implementation appeared to be doing the trick.

"We are trying to keep the reservoir up," he said, noting, "It seemed to work."

City Administrator Diane Rinks said the Level One restrictions should be sustainable for everyone. She said residents should find that watering every other day is effective in keeping lawns green.

McMinnville is not experiencing the same kind of problems as its neighbors, thanks to substantial Coast Range facilities that recently underwent a substantial expansion.