Regina and Moose Jaw are urging residents to cut back on water use as the two cities try to deal with a shortage of treated water.
Officials say the treatment plant that serves both communities is not able to meet demand due to quality issues from turbidity, algae and fluctuating temperatures in the water it draws from Buffalo Pound Lake.
Residents in both cities are being asked to reduce their water use by 25 per cent, if possible.
“In addition to not washing vehicles or watering lawns, we’d ask residents to reduce shower times and wash only full loads of laundry and dishes,” Pat Wilson, the City of Regina’s director of waterworks said Wednesday.
“While we know people have investments in sod and gardens, please use discretion and water only when truly necessary.”
The city has added some capacity from its eight reserve wells and while that water is safe to drink, residents are being told they may notice it has some discolouration.
The cities of Regina and Moose Jaw are doing their part to conserve water by suspending street sweeping and watering in parks. In addition, the City of Regina is not filling outdoor pools or turning on spray pads.
It isn’t known how long the situation will last, but officials say wind or rain would help improve the quality of water coming into the plant.
