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Dry spell draining city's reclaimed water

Residential customers are now being asked to water yards twice a week instead of three times a week.

By SHANNON TAN
Published May 28, 2005

LARGO - Joe Carlini is worried.

Thursday's forecast called for a 20 percent chance of rain, but it stayed sunny. It has been days since the last thunderstorm.

In the past three days, Largo's environmental services director has watched the city's reclaimed water supply drop dramatically.

The 3-million gallon tank is empty. So is the 5-million gallon tank. Only the 10-million gallon tank has water.

"I've never quite seen it this bad," Carlini said. "We haven't been able to put a drop of water in those two tanks for a minimum of three days now."

The city treats 11-million gallons of reclaimed water every day. But in the past few days, demand has risen to 13-million gallons a day.

Residential customers are now being asked to reduce the amount of time they water, and to water yards twice a week instead of three times a week. They may also experience periods of low pressure and temporary service interruptions.

The city provides reclaimed water to nearly 2,000 residential and 119 commercial customers, including golf courses and other large users.

The new $21-million library will use more expensive potable water for about a year before switching to reclaimed water. Irrigation at Largo facilities, including the golf course, Central Park and the nature preserve has been reduced to one day a week.

"The city of Largo should feel the pain," Carlini said. "That's only fair."

Commercial customers are also reducing their usage of reclaimed water from daily to two days a week.

Carlini attributes the reclaimed water shortage to the recent dry spell and the citywide increase in landscaping, which requires more water. Also, the city is repairing its collection system, which is reducing the amount of water coming into the wastewater treatment plant.

The new restrictions will help keep up with the demand for reclaimed water.

And, "maybe a little rain would be nice," Carlini said.

Shannon Tan can be reached at shtan@sptimes.com or 445-4174.

[Last modified May 28, 2005, 00:09:12]