Water shortage leads to state of emergency for Kentucky town - WKYT

Water shortage leads to state of emergency for Kentucky town

STANFORD, Ky. (WKYT) - People are being encouraged to cut back on their usage as the city’s main sources of raw water continue to dwindle.

A state of emergency means the city can access resources faster in the event of a water main break or other problems.

Mayor Dalton Miller says people are being encouraged to conserve as much water as they can, but this is not a water shortage emergency. At least not yet.

Miller says the city’s lakes are much lower than they need to be. He says problems began surfacing a few months ago because they have not received adequate rainfall. He says people need to watch how much water they are using now so more drastic measures don’t have to be taken later.

“The easiest thing to do is not let the water run while you brush your teeth. You can waste up to five gallons of water brushing your teeth. By allowing the water to run. Use a dishwasher if you have a dishwasher at home,” said Miller.

Miller says he hopes the city will receive more rainfall in the coming months.

If a ‘water shortage emergency’ is issued, people and businesses could be required to ration water. Miller says the city has had water shortage issues before, and people have responded well.

Ryan Owens with Stanford Water Works says the city cannot access water from nearby Cedar Creek Lake in Crab Orchard because it is a “bass trophy lake,” and federal and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife stipulations prevent a water access permit from being awarded there.

Owens did say the city does have an avenue to buy water from Danville but says, because of differences in pressure, there would have to be a catastrophic shortage situation before those lines would be tapped.

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