Union Township sees summer without water rationing; wells will guarantee no need for rationing next summer
Rations have not been placed on the Union Township water supply yet this year.
This summer was expected to be the last summer for water rationing, said Kim Smith, public works coordinator for Union Township, since additional wells are being installed as part of a project planned in late November 2008.
“We still have another month of warm weather where we still may institute it,” Smith said. “We’ve had enough rain and it hasn’t become an issue yet.”
The water supply for Union Township comes from wells located on Isabella, South Mission and Meridian roads.
The township decided to expand water sites to avoid water rationing and build more dependable water sources for residents, said township Supervisor John Barker.
“We’re a very fast growing community, our water supply system can’t keep up with it,” Barker said. “It will increase our capacity to where we no longer have to restrict water usage for residents.”
There will be an expansion on the water site on Isabella Road, where additional wells are being installed. A 500,000 gallon storage tank, a water filter and an expansion on the current building near the well site to house equipment are being built.
The $2.1 million project is expected to be complete by spring 2011, Smith said.
“It will give residents more reliable fire protection, more capacity and water pressure,” she said.
In the past few years, when water rationing was instituted, Smith said residents were only allowed to water plants and lawns every other day. Some days township residents would still use as many as two million gallons.
Phil Hertzler, associate professor of biology, has lived in Union Township for seven years.
“The township has gone under rationing in the past, but it doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “It helps me think about conserving water.”
David Burdette, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and resident of Union Township, said water supply has been rationed the past few years but has never caused an issue for the watering of his lawn.
Burdette said the expansion will give the township the opportunity to fully supply residents with water and residents will finally be able to water without restrictions.
“The demand exceeds the supply in the summer,” he said. “(But) it’s not like your limited to using water, we just sprinkle every other day.”
