MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION NOTICE
MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION NOTICE
The Mercersburg Water Authority routinely monitors the conditions at the treatment facility and distribution system. On August 5, 2024, because of continuing drought conditions the Mercersburg Water Treatment Facility experienced low reservoir and well water levels which has resulted in the reduction of produced drinking water. As a result, the level within the water storage tank has been reduced and the Mercersburg Water Authority is issuing a MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION NOTICE for all Mercersburg Water customers which requires you as a consumer to take the following actions.
Who is affected?
All customers and users are served by the Mercersburg Water System.
What should I do?
Effective immediately the Mercersburg Water Authority is implementing mandatory water conservation measures for all customers served by the Mercersburg water system. Mercersburg Water Authority is permitted to impose water use restrictions on its customers under the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Regulation at 52 Pa. Code § 65.11(a). These use restrictions will continue until the Mercersburg Water Authority provides notice that the mandatory water conservation has been lifted. Mercersburg Water Authority has determined that mandatory water conservation is needed currently to protect the integrity of the Mercersburg Water Authority supply and distribution system because the Authority is experiencing a short-term supply shortage (total available water supply is not enough to meet maximum system demand) due to the recent drought conditions. If use restrictions are not put in place immediately, the result could be a lowering of pressure or a loss of water to customers.
While mandatory water conservation is in place, all Mercersburg Water customers are required to eliminate nonessential uses of water, which include the following:
► The use of hoses, sprinklers or other means for sprinkling or watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers, or other vegetation.
► The use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, trailer houses or other type of mobile equipment.
► The washing of streets, driveways, parking lots, service station aprons, office buildings, exterior of homes, sidewalks, apartments, or other outdoor surfaces.
► The operation of an ornamental fountain or other structures making a similar use of water.
► The use of water for filling swimming or wading pools.
► The operation of water-cooled comfort air conditioning which does not have water-conserving equipment.
► The use of water from fire hydrants for construction purposes or fire drills.
► The use of water to flush a wastewater line or wastewater manhole.
► The use of water for commercial farms and nurseries other than a bare minimum to preserve plants, crops, and livestock.
What happened?
The hot weather and drought conditions have lowered the production of drinking water at the Water Plant.
What is being done?
The Mercersburg Water Authority is monitoring the water table levels closely and adjusting plant operations accordingly. The Mercersburg Water Authority has issued a Mandatory Water Conservation Notice to its customers.
The Mercersburg Water Authority will inform you when we are no longer affected by the drought conditions and the Mandatory Water Conservation Notice can been lifted. For more information, please contact the Borough Office, by email: boroughoffice@mercerburg.org or by phone at (717) 328-3116.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. In sharing or posting of this Notice with others, please ensure that other parties are affected by the issue – the Mercersburg Water Authority can limit the affected service population by isolating portions of its main – as listed in the “Who is affected?” portion of this advisory.
This notice is being sent to you by the Mercersburg Water Authority.
PWS ID#: _7280021_ Date distributed: Monday, August 5, 2024