Town leaders urge everyone in Town of Appalachia to conserve water usage - WCYB

Town leaders urge everyone in Town of Appalachia to conserve water usage | WCYB

Town leaders are urging everyone in the Town of Appalachia to conserve water usage, this takes effect Tuesday, November 14.

The contingency plan will take effect at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

Town leaders say that on that day, all water meters including both residential and business will be read.

Town leaders sent us the following details:

On Monday, November 6th, 2023, Mayor Chris Williams met with the town water superintendent, the town engineer, and the town manager to determine, from information gathered, if a water shortage emergency existed. Once the decision was made that an emergency existed, the Mayor polled the Appalachia Town Council members and agreed to officially declare a water shortage emergency. The poll will be ratified at the next regular council meeting on November 16th, 2023. Upon the declaration of the emergency, Town management moved to enact the first phase of a contingency plan for controlled water usage during a water shortage that was adopted on February 4,1981. The contingency plan will take affect at 10:00AM on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. On that day, all water meters both residential and business will be read, and the readings will be documented.

Contingency Plan Number I states the following:

All residential car washing , street washing, watering of lawns, gardens, etc., building or window washing and swimming pool operation will be ceased immediately.

A surcharge will be placed on all residential water consumption at a rate of $5.00 per 1,000 gallons above the 4,000 gallons limit per month.

All commercial, industrial, manufacturing or processing facilities shall reduce water consumption to 80% of the average monthly usage.

If the water shortage continues to worsen, Town Council, as dictated by ordinance, will enact Contingency Plan 2, which of course will be much more restrictive.

Town Council and Management urge all citizens and businesses to adhere to the restrictions. Violations will cause the surcharge to be added to water bills and be considered a Class 3 misdemeanor. While the surcharge is minimal, conservation is of most importance. It is better to curtail water consumption now, than to be out of water later.