Kaukauna asking residents to cut back on water use

Wis. (WFRV)-- The lack of rain and extra hot weather have had people using more water, and one local community is asking residents to cut back.

In Kaukauna, they are handing out a letter to people, requesting people voluntarily cut-back on their water usage, because the city's water supply has been significantly reduced.

They are not calling it a water emergency, but that is what they are trying to prevent.

"Just use the least amount of water you can just to get by, cause we're not in no emergency situation right now, but we don't want to get to that," said Kevin Obiala, Water Superintendent for the City of Kaukauna.

The city of Kaukauna uses a well water-system, which means rain helps replenish the water supplies. With little to no rain in recent weeks, and people increasing their water usage the water supply has dropped 20 percent.

"what we have noticed over the last couple weeks the pump-age has gone up, from 1.1 million a day, up to 1.5 million a day, without any rain we're not really getting any recharge in the wells and we've seen a 20% drop in water levels," said Obiala.

They ask residents follow some of these suggestions: eliminate lawn watering on established lawns, water gardens early in the morning or late at night, shorten shower times, turn water off while shaving or brushing your teeth, and don't leave water running while washing your dishes.

"Don't run the water anymore than you have to, save brushing, shaving, just use a little bit of water as possible, do not water lawns during the day, because most the water you water your lawn will just evaporate anyway," said Obiala.

Other communities are seeing similar increases in water usage. In July, Appleton says they've used 40 percent more water than usual.

Oshkosh and Green Bay are also up, about 10 percent. Since there water supply comes from lakes, supplying the extra demand, isn't a concern at the moment.

"The city is pretty conservation minded so even with this 10% add on it's not really taxing our system, we're able to comfortably supply this type of demand," said Green Bay Water Utility General Manager Bill Nabak .

Nabak said that over the past 10 years, residential, commercial and industrial properties have all cut back on water-usage. A positive trend that helps them out during dry summers, like this one.

The city of Green Bay and Appleton said it's not likely they would ever issue any restrictions on water usage, either voluntary or mandatory.