Des Moines reduces hours at spraygrounds to help conserve water
Des Moines reduces hours at spraygrounds to help conserve water
STORMS OUT COMING UP HERE SHORTLY. ALL RIGHT, JASON, THANK YOU. WE’RE FOLLOWING MORE BREAKING NEWS, THIS TIME FROM CENTRAL IOWA WATER WORKS. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ASKED TO CUT THEIR WATER USE. WATER WORKS WANTS PEOPLE TO CUT THEIR LAWN WATERING BY AT LEAST HALF. vlog INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SUZANNE BEHNKE IS HERE WITH THIS URGENT PLEA. SUZANNE STACEY, THIS IS THE SECOND REQUEST FOR PEOPLE TO CUT THEIR WATER USE. NOW, THE FIRST WAS ON MAY 30TH, AND THAT WAS A 25% REDUCTION. TODAY, CENTRAL IOWA WATER WORKS TELLS US THE TREATMENT PLANTS AND NITRATE REMOVAL FACILITY ARE AT CAPACITY. AND IF DEMAND DOESN’T GO DOWN, WE’RE LOOKING AT MANDATORY BANS ON LAWN WATERING, WHICH USES THE MOST WATER. IT MAY SEEM ODD BECAUSE WATER LEVELS IN THE DES MOINES AND RACCOON RIVERS ARE NORMAL, BUT BOTH HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF NITRATES, WHICH IS REGULATED BY THE EPA. IT CAN POSE HEALTH RISKS. WATER ISN’T BEING PULLED FROM THE RACCOON RIVER BECAUSE IT’S SO HIGH RIGHT NOW. THE DES MOINES RIVER AND A BACKUP SUPPLY ARE IN USE. THE NITRATE REMOVAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN RUNNING SINCE APRIL 28TH AND HAS COST MORE THAN $400,000. WE ASKED LOCAL WATER LEADER AMY KAYLOR ABOUT THE IMPACT ON WATER RATES, NITRATE REMOVAL IS CONSIDERED A COMPONENT IN THE WATER RATES. WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE. PROJECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR. SO AGAIN, THAT’S WHY WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE LAWN WATERING SO THAT WE CAN STOP RUNNING THAT FACILITY AT SUCH A HIGH COST, KAYLOR SAYS. THE WATER WORKS RIGOROUSLY TEST MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, BUT THE WATER GETTING T
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Des Moines reduces hours at spraygrounds to help conserve water
In response to Central Iowa Water Works calling for voluntary water use reductions on Wednesday, Des Moines officials have cut hours at the city's 18 spraygrounds.Des Moines spraygrounds normally operate from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during the summer, but are now operating from noon to 6 p.m. Normal hours will resume when conditions improve, according to the city's aquatics page.The city announced the move in a news release that also detailed the following water reduction strategies: City golf course contractors have already implemented watering reduction strategies and will evaluate measures to reduce water usage furtherCity sports park operators have committed to reduced wateringThe city has reduced irrigation significantly on other city-owned propertiesList of Des Moines spraygroundsBates Park SpraygroundBurke Park SpraygroundChesterfield Park SpraygroundColumbus Park SpraygroundDrake Park SpraygroundEvelyn K. Davis Park SpraygroundFairmont Park SpraygroundGood Park SpraygroundGrandview Park Sprayground Greenwood Park SpraygroundMacRae Park Sprayground McHenry Park SpraygroundSargent Park SpraygroundSheridan Park SpraygroundStone Park SpraygroundTower Park SpraygroundWoodlawn Park SpraygroundWestern Gateway Park Sprayground
DES MOINES, Iowa —
In response to Central Iowa Water Works calling for voluntary water use reductions on Wednesday, Des Moines officials have cut hours at the city's 18 spraygrounds.
Des Moines spraygrounds normally operate from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during the summer, but are now operating from noon to 6 p.m. Normal hours will resume when conditions improve, .
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The city announced the move in a news release that also detailed the following water reduction strategies:
- City golf course contractors have already implemented watering reduction strategies and will evaluate measures to reduce water usage further
- City sports park operators have committed to reduced watering
- The city has reduced irrigation significantly on other city-owned properties
