Small businesses face tough decisions in drought - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

The worsening drought is hurting business - especially small ones in central Indiana.

Wednesday, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard raised that concern before a congressional committee in Washington. He named specific businesses directly affected by the lack of rain.

Eyewitness News tracked those businesses down Thursday to find out just how bad it is.

In weather that couldn't be more perfect for scraping and painting, Desmond Brown's ladders are tied to his truck. Three big jobs fell through, because they need power washing before painting. Brown dropped four of his seven workers at Circle City Painting.

"These guys got family. I got family and it's kinda hard to tell them we are unable to work because of the water," Brown said.

Or rather, the lack of water.

Unwatered lawns, or those not lucky enough to catch a rain shower, haven't grown in weeks. Landscapers are taking a beating and so are their suppliers.

Henthorn Mower & Engine is a ghost town. After 35 years in business, the small family company has never been through anything this bad. Store hours have been cut and employees are on three- and four-day work weeks.

"We are doing what we can to keep people employed without laying them off," said Gene Henthorn.

Asked how long he can keep up, Henthorn replied, "Not very."

Pool companies are taking a hit as well. People can't fill new pools with water. If they don't need water, they don't need a water delivery truck coming to their homes.

Ron Smith, owner of Aqua-Fill, delivered water to the RVs and luxury motor coaches race fans and teams drove to the Speedway Thursday. Although Smith can haul pool water from counties that have no bans, he says customers don't want to pay the extra cost for filling new pools or topping off their existing ones.

"So a lot of people are just closing their pools. It's slowed down business quite a lot," Smith said.

It's enough to park two of his five tanker trucks. Many small businesses, like brown lawns and wilting trees, are in a drought survival mode.

Brown now keeps a lawn mower in his painting truck, hoping to make a couple of bucks cutting homeowners' weeds. Another painter on the south side expanded into the lawn painting business, spray painting lawns to turn them green again.

Henthorn's shop has a healthy inventory of chainsaws that will be needed to clear away dead trees and brush.

These businesses have one eye watching the weather and the other looking at drastic measures to stay in business.