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Nixa asks residents to conserve water

Map of drought conditions in Missouri from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as of July 13, 2023
NDMC, NOAA, USDA
/
NDMC, NOAA, USDA
Map of drought conditions in Missouri from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as of July 13, 2023

Insufficient rains and high heat are pushing up usage while impacting the Ozarks aquifer that supplies the city’s water.

Update: Recent rains have returned water levels to where they were in mid-June. Nixa City Spokesperson Drew Douglas said in an email to KSMU, but the city is still asking residents to conserve water. "When Nixa residents are all watering their lawns on the same day, it draws down the aquifer faster than it is being replenished," Douglas wrote in the email.

Original Story: The National Weather Services’ drought outlook shows our region as experiencing abnormally dry weather and moderate drought, but anticipates drought conditions improving between now and September.

Nixa Utilities water customers are being asked to conserve water usage through the end of July.

A July 13 press release from the City of Nixa explained that insufficient rains and high heat are pushing up usage while impacting the Ozarks aquifer that supplies the city’s water.

Nixa Utilities Director Doug Colvin explained that the city uses a monitoring well to read how low the water table in the aquifer is. As the well is emptied the speed at which it refills can indicate how much water is available. Water levels in that well have fallen 18 feet in the last two weeks. Until it recovers, Nixa Utilities will ask customers to minimize outdoor watering, refrain from washing sidewalks and driveways and limit vehicle washing.

How You Can Help - Minimize outdoor watering as much as possible.

- Odd number addresses should water lawns only on odd number calendar days.

- Even number addresses should water lawns only on even number calendar days.

- Refrain from washing sidewalks, driveways, or other exterior surfaces.

- Limit washing of vehicles, boats, and other equipment.

- Limit filling or refilling of pools and hot tubs, tanks, or other vessels not used directly for public health.

The current press release is a voluntary request, with no official restrictions declared. Director Colvin explained that the City does have the power to declare up to three stages of water emergency, each with its own mandatory limitations and fees for excess water usage. Colvin said the City has not had to do so in his career, and he applauded utility customers for taking similar requests seriously in the past.