(7/24) Emmitsburg public water customers are being asked to reduce their usage of water based on persistent declining levels of water supplies at the town reservoirs and wells.

Mayor Don Briggs and council voted at their July meeting to enact voluntary water restrictions following several weeks of 'abnormally dry' weather in Frederick County, and across the state in general. Since the voluntary restrictions were imposed by Emmitsburg, North Frederick County has officially been declared as in a state of drought.

There are two levels of water usage restrictions that may be imposed on municipal water production customers. Phase One calls for voluntary reduction of water use, while Phase Two mandates water reduction use and restrictions.

Phase One now being in effect, Emmitsburg water customers are simply being asked to seek ways to use less water than they normally would.

Phase Two (mandatory restrictions) would restrict the filling swimming pools or replenish the water in them, while out-of-doors consumption of water, such as washing cars, houses, sidewalks, watering lawns, gardens or shrubs, would be prohibited. Restaurants would be also prohibited from serving water unless requested by a patron, and large-volume water users would be required to generate a "target rate" of water usage.

The town uses well and water levels that existed in 2011 as a baseline to determine where the levels should be at the present time. The state of the reservoirs and wells in 2011 is considered to represent the ‘optimal’ levels of the local water supplies.

As of this month, Mayor Briggs stated the Rainbow Lake town reservoir was down four inches. Well number 1 was five feet above optimum, and Well No. 2 was two feet below optimum. Well No. 3 has been taken off-line due to a higher level of alkalinity, while Well No. 4 was ten feet below optimum. Finally, Well No. 5 was two feet below optimum.

The last time that the town declared a Phase One level water restrictions was in December 2016.

With the recent declaration of drought Mayor Briggs said he would be following developments closely before requesting the board to formally enact Phase Two and mandatory water use restrictions. "We'll be taking a hard look at it (regarding the water supplies going into August)," he said.