Osceola officials ask residents to drink bottled water amid drought - KCCI Des Moines

Water woes continue in Osceola with household usage restrictions

Osceola officials ask residents to drink bottled water amid drought

City and county officials are asking Osceola residents to drink bottled water instead of tap water.

West Lake, the city's only source of drinking water, is on a downward trend.

"Right now, we're just a little over six-and-a-half feet down below full pool," said Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water Works.

So, some residents are stocking up on water.

"So we can try to save as much water as we can to get this issue fixed," said Brittany Cline, Osceola resident.

It seems to be a serious issue.

Because the Osceola Water Works Board passed a resolution restricting residential water use to 7,000 gallons of water usage per household per billing period.

That is not good news for Joshua Verwers.

He says his family of six has gone over the restriction by more than 3,000 gallons of water and has been fined as a result.

"For a large family like mine, especially when we get extra penalties. We got to try to save it somehow," Verwers said.

Osceola Water Works is working on short-term solutions to the problem.

The long-term solution is rain.