WHITESTOWN -
More central Indiana communities are imposing water restrictions because of our prolonged drought. There are no water bans in Indianapolis right now, just a request for conservation, but that could change in just a few days if we don't get any rain.
It's already happening in Whitestown, where hoses are rolled up, sprinklers are put away and spigots are turned off. A mandatory watering ban took effect in Whitestown Friday afternoon, meaning no sprinkling allowed, at all.
"Hopefully they'll lift the ban soon, because I'd like to start trying to rehab this lawn," said Craig Arthur, Whitestown. "I can't wait to use the sprinkler."
A lack of rain and pressure problems caused a voluntary ban in Zionsville and the mandatory ban in Whitestown. It's also keeping yards very thirsty.
"Well, right now, I have pretty dead grass," said Whitestown homeowner Kisha Rucker. "The backyard is all that (brown) color."
Many communities are dealing with the drought danger. From Center Grove and Westfield to Noblesville and Zionsville, there are a variety of water restrictions now in place.
If it doesn't rain within a couple days, Indianapolis may face a water ban.
"We hope we don't have to get to that point, but that's a possibility," said Dan Considine, spokesperson for Citizens Energy Group.
Citizens says a watering ban could come next week, without significant rainfall. For now, Citizens is asking customers to limit lawn watering to once a week.
"That's really important right now, because we estimate about 40 percent of our load is just lawn irrigation, so if people back off, that would really help us out," Considine said.
Water demand reached record usage last Thursday. Despite rain on the north side, usage is near-record again now.
Reservoirs like Morse and Geist, where Indy's water comes from, have very low water levels and continue to drop daily. If conditions get worse, Citizens could go from restrictions to a voluntary ban, to a mandatory ban, which would have to be issued by the mayor. That would mean no sprinklers, no washing cars and no filling pools.
"If people cooperate now, we can hopefully avoid that next step," Considine explained.
For those already under a ban, the only relief is out of their control.
"I'm hoping for a lot of rain," Arthur said.
"We're waiting on God to send it to us," Rucker added.
Sprinklers are turned off as towns institute watering bans.
Homeowners are watching their yards turn brown in the heat.
Water levels at area reservoirs are below average, as well.
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