LOWELL, Mich. — The city of Lowell and Lowell Charter Township are implementing restrictions on when residents and businesses can water their lawns.
City and township officials announced Tuesday that an odd-even outdoor water restriction for municipal customers is now in effect.
Officials say the decision to limit outdoor watering was prompted by a recent double-digital spike in water demand.
A portion of Lowell Township contracts with the city to provide wholesale water service. The City of Lowell pumps from 4 ground wells, and sends a portion to a 500,000 gallon holding tank, which then gets distributed to homes in the township.
The city's current setup accommodates for about 500,000 gallons to be sent to the township daily.
But over this past weekend, Lowell City Manager Mike Burns says, “we were sending over 680,000 gallons a day to the township.”
The township has continued to grow over recent years, and with it, so has the demand for water.
“It's a good problem to have, because we have growth," Burns said Wednesday.
"But, with that being said, it's going to be a challenge.”
The restriction limits when residents and businesses can water their lawns and landscaping to minimize the burden on the city’s water treatment plant.
“Your residential use... showers, bathing, cooking, all that stuff, washing clothes, that's not an issue.”
Outdoor watering (watering your lawn and landscaping) will be allowed for properties in the city and township with an address that ends in an odd number on odd days.
Properties with an address that ends in an even number, can water outdoors on even days.
“Our water treatment plant has a limit on the amount of water it can produce and, with recent demand, we are pushing the limit,” Burns said.
“Outdoor watering makes up a significant portion of our consumption during the warmer months. As we experience a hot, dry stretch and look ahead to more of the same in the coming months, it is important for us to take proactive steps to prevent an outright ban on landscape irrigation.
Down the road, the city will need to expand their water plant operations.
“We do know that with the growth, there's going to be an expansion at some point. It's just a matter of how we're going to do it, who's going to pay for it,” Burns said.
