News - Local News

POSTED: Monday, Aug. 03, 2009

Bellingham lifts mandatory water restrictions

BELLINGHAM - City officials are lifting mandatory water restrictions effective Tuesday, Aug. 4, but are asking residents to continue to abide by a voluntary outdoor watering schedule.

The city imposed the mandatory restrictions Thursday, July 30, banning people from watering established lawns and landscaping after high levels of algae in Lake Whatcom clogged filters at the city's water treatment plant and reduced the amount of water available for use.

Public Works Director Ted Carlson lauded the work by city residents to curb usage over the weekend.

"Bellingham residents have done a great job of conserving water in response to the mandatory restrictions," said Public Works Director Ted Carlson. "Consumption of treated water has continued to decrease throughout the weekend, enabling us to fill our water reservoirs and cut back on water production."

Minimal watering of vegetable gardens and hand-watering of potted plants was allowed during the restriction, as was watering of new plantings, but residents were asked to be conservative with water use.

The cause of the abnormally high levels of algae hasn't been determined, but it could be due to the warm, sunny weather, or runoff from last winter's storms and flooding, officials have said.

City scientists are still looking at ways to respond to the blue-green algae that is producing a gelatin-like mucus, but ultimately it will depend on keeping the water demand low and reducing nutrients in the lake that feed the algae, said city spokeswoman Joy Monjure.

No citations were issued to people who violated the mandatory restrictions, said Bellingham Police Department spokesman Lt. Mark Young. Those who were contacted received verbal warnings, which were generally to educate them about the restrictions. Most of the people contacted were unaware of the restrictions, Young said, saying some had come back from vacations and had their outdoor watering systems set on automatic.

The city received 168 calls to the anonymous tip line during the restrictions, Monjure said.

Reports of violations accounted for 137 of the calls, eight calls were regarding potential violations by the city government itself and 23 calls were questions, comments or concerns.

In terms of the city violations, most had to do with Squalicum Park, which is on a well and doesn’t use lake water, and Lake Padden Golf Course, which gets its water from Lake Padden and not Lake Whatcom, Monjure said. Bellingham Fire Department Chief Bill Boyd did have to order employees to stop washing fire trucks and other equipment, Monjure said, after the city received a complaint.

Meanwhile, the city is asking residents to continue conserving water any way they can, both outdoor and indoor, and by following a voluntary watering schedule until Sept. 15. The schedule is:

• Odd numbered street addresses water only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

• Even numbered street addresses water only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

• No outdoor watering on Mondays to allow our water supply to recharge.

For more information and water conservation tips, visit the city's Web site at cob.org and search on water conservation.

Citizens can get their water conservation questions answered on the Bellingham Herald Web site at bellinghamherald.com/qna/forum/water.