As drought deepens, here's what you need to know about Des Moines Water Works' water shortage plan

Donnelle Eller
Des Moines Register

Des Moines Water Works has implemented stage one of its water shortage plan. More restrictions could be on tap if the metro's water supply doesn't keep pace with usage. Here's what you need to know about the plan.

Stage one: Limited lawn watering 

Action: Cut back on watering lawns and turf by 25%; don’t irrigate on Mondays and alternate watering on the other six days, based on odd and even addresses; suspend the Water Works hydrant flushing program except for water-quality reasons; ask the city of Des Moines to limit water-intensive activities such as street sweeping and watering golf course fairways.

Trigger: Peak demand reaches 90% of utility’s capacity.

Outcome: If successful, peak demand will drop by 10%.

Enforcement: Voluntary

More:With drought concerns growing, Des Moines Water Works asks its 500,000 customers to cut back on watering lawns

Stage two: Reduce all outdoor water use

Action: Reduce by 50% all outdoor water use. In addition cutting lawn watering, customers would be asked to use water outdoors wisely, for example, when washing cars, playing in sprinklers, playing with water toys and filling swimming pools. Indoors, they would be urged to fix leaky plumbing fixtures, wash only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines, and shorten showers. City, county and state agencies would be asked to close inefficient recreational facilities and switch off decorative fountains.

Trigger: Peak demand exceeds 90% of utility’s capacity and customers fail to reach stage 1 goals, or signs indicate a water shortage is possible without further reductions.

Outcome: If successful, peak demand would drop by 25%.

Enforcement: Voluntary

More:Recent rains help Iowa farmers, but do little to drown drought concerns

Stage three: No watering your lawn

Action: Prohibit lawn and turf irrigation

Trigger: Peak demand exceeds 90% of utility’s capacity and customers fail to achieve stage 1 and 2 goals, or signs indicate a water shortage is possible without further reductions.

Outcome: A 40% reduction in expected peak demand.

Enforcement: Des Moines Water Works would tag customers who are watering lawns and give them 48 hours to stop. Failure to comply would result in water service being terminated. Customers would have to pay a termination fee before water would be restored.  

Stage four: Emergency water rates, rationing

Action: The utility would ration water in the case of extreme shortages. Where to set usage limits “would be a day-by-day or week-by-week decision” based on capacity, said Des Moines Water Works CEO Ted Corrigan. “That’s the worst-case scenario.”

Trigger: Water rationing would only be triggered in the event of a significant, severe water shortage or event that severely reduced the utility’s ability to meet demand. The utility could skip stages 1 through 3 if they’re insufficient to reduce demand.

Enforcement: The utility would impose emergency water rates to “strongly discourage” consumers from using more than the rationed amounts.

Outcome: Des Moines Water Works would seek the lowest reductions in water usage possible while meeting public health and safety standards.

Affected areas: Alleman, Ankeny, Berwick, Bondurant, Clive, Cumming, Des Moines, Johnston, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Runnells, unincorporated Polk County, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, and rural water districts including Warren Water and Xenia Rural Water.