A sensible drought plan

The (Springfield, Ill.) State Journal-Register: When it comes to water restrictions, Springfield residents have it good compared to our neighbors in Decatur.

The Soy City has barred residents, schools and golf courses from watering anything except vegetable gardens, according to the Decatur Herald & Review. It has shut down commercial car washes, outlawed the filling of swimming pools and barred restaurants from serving water unless customers ask for it. Decatur city manager Ryan McCray said that the city is preparing for the worst-case scenario — a 1950s-style drought.

City Water, Light and Power has decided that such water restrictions aren’t necessary for Springfield — yet. Aldermen approved the framework of a sensible drought management plan at its meeting on Tuesday, one that would implement restrictions similar to Decatur’s if matters get worse. The ordinance empowers Mayor Mike Houston to act without further action by aldermen.

The plan should work because it phases in drought control measures instead of dropping shocking restrictions on the public with little notice.

Water treatment

Springfield residents already are getting the message. CWLP set a record for the amount of water treated in a single day at 40.31 million gallons on July 26. But use over the past week has averaged around 32 million gallons per day, said Eric Hobbie, CWLP’s chief utilities engineer. CWLP can treat a maximum of 43 million gallons per day.

Decatur’s drought is localized and started before the one afflicting the rest of Illinois.