Effective immediately, the City of Spring Hill has issued an irrigation ban to ensure the City Water Department can provide sufficient potable water and fire suppression to residents.
Maintaining water capacity at the Spring Hill Water Treatment Plant is always challenging this time of year, but it is becoming increasingly difficult with the extreme dry conditions experienced throughout Middle Tennessee.
Irrigation within City limits was already limited to certain days, per the Spring Hill Water Conservation Policy that’s annually effective May – September. However, due to lack of rain in the previous 58 days, the City has experienced a draw down of the water storage tanks. Additionally, no rain is currently forecasted for the next seven or more days. Tank levels have been below 50% for the last 10 days. Water use due to irrigation is putting a significant amount of stress on the water system and is negatively affecting the plant’s ability to replenish the tanks sufficiently, said Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Jeremy Vanderford.
As stated in the Water Conservation Policy, “during the summer months, Spring Hill water customers use 2.5 times the average daily winter use. This additional water goes to outdoor watering and irrigation.”
Effective immediately, the temporary irrigation ban is effective for the next 10 days in order for the tanks to completely refill. Should the tanks recover fully in a shorter amount of time, City staff will notify the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the temporary ban could then be lifted.
The ban includes both residential and commercial properties that use City water for irrigation. The City will be actively enforcing the ban. Multiple violations could result in warnings, fines, or a discontinuation of water service.
