Polson expands water restrictions

The city of Polson implemented additional water restrictions within city limits last weekend, prohibiting all “unnecessary use of water,” including watering of yards and green spaces. Also prohibited is the washing of vehicles and other equipment. City staff advise that fresh and sensitive landscaping should be watered only as needed for survival.

“Public Works staff are working diligently to balance water supply and reserve issues throughout the community.” City Manager Ed Meece said in a press release issued Saturday evening. “However, the city of Polson continues to experience low water reserves, due to increased usage, and as a result is implementing emergency water restrictions effective immediately.”

Reserves became so low over the weekend that the city turned off water service to select neighborhoods from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday “due to extraordinary demand and the inability to fill water reserves to an adequate level for fire protection and operational purposes.”

Residents of Skyview Lane, Skyline Drive, Mission View, JB Drive and Claffey Drive were without water for the 12-hour period. The city had bottled water available for pickup at the city water shop at 715 Seventh Ave. W., and at the Linderman School gymnasium, where restroom facilities were temporarily open to the public. City staff members also delivered small quantities of water to affected neighborhoods.

Meece said Tuesday morning that the emergency shut-offs achieved the goal of replenishing reserves.

“Through the day and night, the Skyline and Hillside water towers recovered a considerable amount of reserve capacity and (Tuesday) morning we did not get hit with a large demand surge from watering systems; so we have held those gains to this point.”

Meece said several factors are at play in creating the shortage.

“Extraordinary demand from heavy visitation as well as folks doing heavy watering (the result of a historically hot, dry, early summer). We suspect that due to the lack of rain our wells may not be collecting as much water as normal.”

With the county still in full summer tourism mode, and with no sign of significant precipitation on the horizon, city staff anticipate additional emergency shut-offs may be required over the coming weeks.

“We hope that we can avoid future shut-offs,” Meece said. “However, some of that will depend on continued cooperation from the community with water conservation, particularly in regard to lawn watering and vehicle washing. It is very important to remember that this effort is about public safety first, namely fire protection, as well as ensuring that all areas of our community have access to water for drinking and utility.”

The city is using irrigation and lake water for street sweeping, downtown flower watering and equipment cleaning. Polson city parks and the Polson Bay Golf Course already use irrigation water for watering purposes.

The city is working closely with local car wash establishments to carefully balance their water consumption with the need to remain at least partially open for economic reasons.

Residents on canal or lake irrigation are not required to adhere to the emergency restrictions.

For more information call the city at 406-883-8201 or visit www.cityofpolson.com.