David Billips, director of Westfield Department of Public Works
WESTFIELD–The city’s board of water commissioners voted last night to lift the city’s water ban.
During the commission’s meeting at city hall last night, the members voted to lift the ban and put in its place a water restriction, which was also enacted prior to the water ban in the earlier stages of the drought in 2016. The water restriction is expected to start today, March 8. With the restriction, non-essential water use is now allowed some of the time in the city.
“We went from a ban to a restriction because the reservoir is full,” director of Westfield Department of Public Works David Billips, said.
And while Westfield water systems engineer Heather Miller said that the Granville reservoir’s water level rising was encouraging, it is not a sign that the city doesn’t have to worry about water.
“This doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods but it’s certainly an improvement,” she said.
A portion of the Granville reservoir as of March 1, 2017.
According to Miller, the reservoir has been rising recently at about 1.5 feet a day. She also said that it was last measured at about 1.15 feet above the spillway, which is the point of measurement for the reservoir. Just last week the reservoir was said to be about a half a foot below the spillway, and was at least 12.5 feet below the spillway in November and 11.5 feet below in December.
The water restriction will be similar to what it was previously for the city. Residents at odd-numbered addresses are allowed non-essential water use on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. For residents at even-numbered addresses, non-essential water use is allowed on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Additionally, no non-essential water use is allowed on Mondays.
Westfield residents no longer have to follow a water ban but a restriction is still in place.
(WNG File Photo)
Non-essential water use, according to a copy of the restriction’s draft, includes mostly outdoor water use like irrigation, washing of vehicles and spraying or washing of sidewalks, driveways or other exterior surfaces.
Enforcement for not complying with the water restriction can result in a $25 fine for the first offense, then $50 fines for each offense thereafter.
According to Billips, the city is going to remain in the water restriction until wells seven and eight–the two affected by the PFC contamination–are back online. They are currently getting testing done on the water to see what sort of treatment should be done on that water, in addition to the carbon filters that they are adding to the sites.
