This summer’s chronic hot and dry weather has not only resulted in drought conditions throughout most of Indiana, it has also prompted a call for high-capacity water facilities in 32 counties to implement voluntary water conservation measures.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security have announced plans to send notification letters to owners and operators of facilities in several counties with the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons or more per day.
Because of the potential for long-term drought and heightened fire danger, Allen, Carroll, Cass, Daviess, DeKalb, Dubois, Elkhart, Fulton, Gibson, Grant, Greene, Howard, Huntington, Knox, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Noble, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Steuben, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Wabash, Warrick, Wells, and Whitley counties will receive notification letters identifying the current condition in the counties as a warning level, while the rest of the state is under watch conditions.
The conservation goal is to reduce the use of water by 10-15 percent at the warning level and five percent at the watch level by implementing a variety of voluntary actions. Hoosiers are also encouraged to conserve water and energy use, as taking voluntary actions now will help later if conditions do worsen.
