Emergency water restrictions in Cheney may end soon

Water restrictions may be lifted soon for Cheney residents.

The city issued a voluntary compliance ordinance urging residents and businesses not to irrigate their lawns. The ordinance followed a mechanical failure that caused Well No. 3’s drive shaft pump to break over the holiday weekend. A news release estimated it would take three weeks to fix the well.

Well No. 3 is the city’s largest producer of water; however, without it in operation, there should still be enough water from the other wells for the daily functions of households and businesses. The rest of the city’s wells produce around 1,250 gallons per minute, and households and businesses need about 780 gpm for normal functions, said Dan Ferguson, public works director. As long as reservoir levels stay above 15 feet, light irrigation is allowed for gardens. The city recommends using mulch to retain moisture in gardens.

“We’re at 20 feet right now, so we’ve got quite a bit of room left,” he said.

The red flag warning in effect on Wednesday brought some concerns. There’s always a worry about flammability when it comes to dry grass, he said, but dry, hot weather is not unusual for Cheney in the summer. The water restrictions will ensure adequate water levels in the reservoir in case of wildfires or other public health concerns. It’s typical for the city to have some form of water restriction during the summer.

“In normal years, late July through August, we generally are really encouraging people to reduce irrigation, just because we can’t produce water at the rate they’re using it,” Ferguson said.

The city said Well No. 3’s pump should take three weeks to fix in its original news release. However, on Tuesday, the city’s well contractor came out and fixed the pump, Ferguson said, and now the city is running bacteria tests to ensure the water is safe. Well #3 will go back into use once cleared.

“By the first of the week, we should be back to limited normal operation of our irrigation systems,” he said.

The city will send out a notice when water is back up and running.

Cheney resident Tamara Suter White is used to summer water restrictions. She said it’s not uncommon to have to alternate days she’s allowed to water her lawn. Despite the regular occurrence of water restrictions, she still worries about dry grass contributing to wildfires, especially during red flag weather, as fires are common around Cheney.

“I live right across from a wheat field, so if a fire starts and jumps and hits that wheat field, my house is gone,” she said. “I don’t water that much to begin with, because water is so expensive in Cheney.”