Polk

Des Moines Water Works Implements Water Shortage Plan

Published 6/14/2021 1:44:28 PM

For immediate release

June 14, 2021

 

Today Des Moines Water Works will begin implementing Stage 1 of the metro area’s Water Shortage Plan because of drought-induced low river levels and record-breaking customer demand for water.

 

These two factors created a 90-percent demand on Des Moines Water Works’ production capacity, which is the trigger for initiating the Stage 1. On Friday, June 11, Des Moines Water Works delivered almost 90 million gallons of water to its 500,000 customers. Polk County receives its water from Des Moines Water Works.

 

Much of the increase in water demand in the summer is a result of turf irrigation. Beginning today, customers are asked to reduce their lawn watering usage by 25 percent.

 

Polk County urges all Des Moines Water Works Customers to follow the attached irrigation schedule, which includes no turf irrigation on Mondays and a watering schedule of every other day.

 

The Water Shortage Plan was created to manage system demand so customers do not experience pressure, quality or availability issues during periods of extreme demand.

This week Des Moines Water Works plans to raise the flashboards on its Raccoon River low head dam.  Flashboards are large metal gates used to raise water levels around the intake. The flow rate in the Raccoon River is down to less than 300 cubic feet per second compared the median flow of 4,000 cubic feet per second.

 

As the Des Moines area continues into another week of high temperatures, water usage guidelines could change on a daily basis. Customers should visit the Des Moines Water Works’ website: www.dmww.com and follow DMWW on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (dsmh2o) for the most up-to-date information.

 

Operational Update PDF

Irrigation Schedule