Water conservation notice issued to Big Creek Utility customers

Big Creek Utility District provides water to most of Grundy County, along with supplying some water to utilities in nearby counties. Here, water pours continuously to provide samples for testing.
Big Creek Utility District provides water to most of Grundy County, along with supplying some water to utilities in nearby counties. Here, water pours continuously to provide samples for testing.

CONSERVATION NOTICE

Big Creek Utility customers are being asked to voluntarily conserve water until further notice.• Reduce or eliminate lawn watering• Don’t do any work with water like pressure-washing• Do not fill swimming pools or other recreational equipment that uses waterONGOING TIPS• Don’t over-water lawns. Water every three to five days in summer and 10-14 days in winter• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks• Run the dishwasher and washing machine when fully loaded• Homeowners with swimming pools should use covers to improve evaporation loss by 90 percent• When hand-washing dishes, don’t leave water running but instead use two basins, one for washing and one for rinsing• Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave instead of using running water• Limit shower time to less than 15 minutes• Turn water off while brushing your teethSource: Big Creek Utility District

Officials at Big Creek Utility District in Grundy County, Tenn., are asking the utility's 3,100 water customers on the Cumberland Plateau to conserve water because of the ongoing drought.

Utility manager Allen Joslyn said Thursday the water level in the utility's reservoir near Altamont is about 48 inches down from the top of the dam.

That's the first trigger for a notice to customers to voluntarily cut usage under the utility's drought management plan, Joslyn said. If the reservoir continues to drop, the next trigger would be a mandatory conservation order, he said.

'We hope that this doesn't have to last long, but we realize we're getting into our 10-year drought cycle," he said.

Big Creek provides water to northern Grundy County and the towns of Altamont, Gruetli-Laager, Coalmont and Beersheba Springs. Big Creek also supplies the Cagle-Fredonia Utility District in Sequatchie County and Griffith Creek Utility District near the Marion-Grundy county line.

Water customers are being asked not to water lawns, fill swimming pools or pressure-wash their homes or driveways to keep the reservoir level high enough to avoid stricter actions, Joslyn said.

"It's basically common-sense ideas to reduce your water consumption," he said. "Our customers were really great in 2007 when we had the big drought. They know what to do, and they'll do it."

Joslyn said the near future doesn't hold much promise either.

"I looked at the weather this morning and the next seven days don't show anything," he said. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

Utility officials will make an announcement in local and regional newspapers when the conservation notice is lifted or in the event more restrictions are necessary, he said.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

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