Water restrictions sought

New press release from Mayor William Stortz:

Voluntary Water Restrictions
Bristol, CT, September 28, 2007
– Mayor William T. Stortz announced today that the Bristol Water Department, as a Department of the City of Bristol, is notifying customers that the Cities reservoirs have declined to 70 percent capacity from the lack of rain and that the Water Department has issued Voluntary Water Restrictions effective immediately.
"A lack of rain and unseasonably warm weather over the past few weeks has lowered our reservoirs along the aquifers that our well fields draw water from to levels that require the Bristol Water Department to request conservation from our customers," said Robert Longo, Acting Superintendent of the Bristol Water Department. Mr. Longo added, "That the Bristol Water Department has reached out to large outside irrigation users including the Cities Parks Department, Public Works, Board of Education, Pequabuck and Chippanee Golf Courses and asked for their cooperation in reducing usage at their facilities, all of which offered their immediate assistance."
Although the reservoirs are at 70 percent capacity, no rain in the immediate forecast will cause the levels to continue to drop. The Bristol Water Department in coordination with the Mayor’s office is requesting that customers limit the amount of outside water use and to adhere to the Departments policy on Odd / Even watering. Odd / Even watering allows for properties with an even street number to water on even days of the month and the same for properties with odd street number to water on odd days of the month. The Odd / Even watering system also applies to washing cars, watering flowers and any other outside uses.
"During the past month the Bristol Water Department personnel have worked diligently identifying ways to increase supply to the system along with ways to conserve water in an effort to avoid any restrictions, yet the lack of rain and dropping levels have forced us to ask for the cooperation from our customers," stated Mr. Longo. The Bristol Water Department has suspended the Annual Hydrant Flushing program, increased its supply from a seasonal well on Barlow Street along with increasing its supply from a connection with the City of New Britain on Stafford Avenue.
The last time the Bristol Water Department enforced restrictions was in 2002 when reservoirs dropped to nearly 50 percent capacity forcing the Department to issue Mandatory Restrictions.
Mayor Stortz stated, "That the water levels at the reservoirs and wells will continue to be monitored regularly to assure that the levels are stabilizing before mandatory restrictions would be required." "Currently the City is in a Drought Advisory and we expect that the change in seasons along with the cooperation from customers should aid us to bring the water levels back to normal prior to Spring," the Mayor added.
Any one with questions on the restrictions or the City’s water supply can contact the Bristol Water Department at 860-582-7431. Information on the Voluntary Restrictions along with other ways to conserve water can also be found on the Bristol Water Department website at
www.bristolwaterdept.org.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com