By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
The Village of Waterford’s deep well went back online Monday, ending more than a week of major water restrictions in one of the worst dry spells in history.
But that doesn’t mean water use restrictions for village residents is now water under the bridge, so to speak.
Until further notice, outdoor watering is restricted to the hours of 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on alternating days according to street address.
Residents whose house number is even may water outside during those hours on even days of the month; those with an odd number, on odd days.
The current restrictions are in line with similar rules recently put in place by other Wisconsin communities whose water needs are met with municipal well systems, said Village Administrator Rebecca Ewald. “We need rain,” she said.
Until the village’s deep well started up again July 2, all outside watering had been totally banned since June 24, a day after the well’s pump totally failed and the village lost more than 80 percent of its daily water capacity.
Racine County Sheriff’s Department deputies helped to enforce the total ban on outdoor watering, and also assisted village officials who went on foot to notify each household, said Ewald.
Deputies issued both warnings and municipal citations to village residents caught ignoring last week’s watering ban. The exact numbers were not available as of press time.
Meanwhile, the issue of resolving who is to pay for replacing the failed pump and travel costs to Waterford is in progress.
The new pump costs $27,000, said Ewald. The village’s insurance carrier will send out an inspector to examine it to determine if, and how much of, the replacement costs are covered under the policy.
Also to be determined is the cost, and possible insurance coverage, of airlifting the new pump into Wisconsin from Texas and bringing it to Waterford.
Ewald reminded residents to be careful with fireworks during this dry holiday weekend, even those fireworks that are not banned by village ordinance.
Essentially, anything that explodes or goes up in the air is banned, she said. But even items like sparklers, which are allowed, can be a danger if not used carefully. Besides a sprinkling ban, a ban on open burning is in place until further notice. The ban is in effect until a significant amount of rain has fallen to reduce the current dry, hazardous conditions, according to Fire Chief Rick Huening.
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