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8.4.01 Water limits for Omaha? The Metropolitan Utilities District, looking at unstable water supplies under the pressure of a heat wave and little rain, may establish mandatory watering restrictions for the first time. In the past, M.U.D. has asked for voluntary lawn watering on an odd-even address system, but it hasn't ever established mandatory prohibitions under what it calls a Level 2 alert. General Manager Jerry Radek said M.U.D. is watching the water supply closely, and a decision on restrictions may be made today. The utility has about 170,000 water customers. The problem is in west Omaha, where M.U.D. still is awaiting federal approval of a new water-treatment plant called Platte West. The utility has only two reservoirs and small treatment plants in the Millard area and Elkhorn. The utility applied for approval of the plant seven years ago, but "we need it now. That's where the new customers are," Radek said. Both Omaha Public Power District and M.U.D. have been responding to high demand in the heat wave. OPPD set a daily peak-use record of 1,988 megawatts on July 17, then topped that Wednesday with 1,997 megawatts. Spokesman Jeff Hanson said the figure would have been higher, but OPPD employed its program in which large users get lower rates in return for reducing electric use. Graphs show that OPPD peak usage has been on a bouncing plane, as temperatures have gone up and down since July 17. However, with thirsty yards and gardens, M.U.D.'s water output soared to 200 million gallons on Wednesday. OPPD is a member of a power grid, buying and selling electricity during peak or slow periods. "But we can't build a pipeline and get water from Des Moines or someplace," Radek said. He said M.U.D.'s problem is a "dead spot" in the west. Its 158 million-gallon-per-day Florence treatment plant is along the Missouri River. The Platte River plant, at 60 million gallons a day, is in south Sarpy County. "It is hard to get water from them to the west," he said. West Omaha's two reservoirs have a total capacity of 41 million gallons, and so-called peaking plants in Millard and Elkhorn treat only 16 million gallons a day. The utility applied for the Platte West plant in 1994, the same year it adopted water-emergency provisions. Platte West, planned near 216th and West Q Streets, would cost about $200 million. Utility officials said three years ago that in trying to determine the best time to build the plant, they may have waited too long. Demand for water continued to increase as the Omaha metropolitan area expanded throughout the 1990s. The standards for an emergency water designation would be the ability of M.U.D. to keep reservoirs filled and provide adequate water pressure. At Level 1, compliance with such things as lawn-watering schedules would be voluntary. At Level 2, odd-even watering is mandatory and such practices as car-washing and pool-filling would be prohibited. If water usage exceeded production from the treatment plants, all use of water except for drinking, sanitary use and the public health would be prohibited. Radek said the 100-million-gallon Platte West plant could be built by 2007 if it gets approval next year. He estimated it would handle district needs until the 2030s. |
Summer water use in metro area Construction Progress Photos Water Plant Wellfield: |
