York Water Company asks customers to limit water use, river pumping station activated

Teresa Boeckel, York Daily Record
Updated ·3 min read

The York Water Company is calling for customers to conserve water because of the ongoing dry conditions.

For the first time in the company's history, it activated its pumps to draw water from the Susquehanna River to supplement the water supply, President and CEO JT Hand said in a phone interview.

The water company says its rainfall deficit so far this year is 10.49 inches. York County − as well as the region − remains in a drought watch, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

“Even the few storms that we have seen across the region have largely missed York or have fallen short of expectations, week after week," President and CEO JT Hand said in a news release. "We are at a point now where we have to ask our customers to come together as a community and conserve our resources.”

A chart shows the rain deficit for York Water's system in red.
A chart shows the rain deficit for York Water's system in red.

Scattered storms are in the forecast for the end of the week, but nothing appreciable is expected, the water company says.

The water company says it is keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Lee in the Atlantic Ocean. Meteorologists predict it will develop into a major hurricane by the weekend, and the United States should be on alert, according to AccuWeather.com.

Lake Redman, on June 7, 2023, was already dawn down several feet for the Lake Williams dam replacement before the drought.
Lake Redman, on June 7, 2023, was already dawn down several feet for the Lake Williams dam replacement before the drought.

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Lake Williams remains empty because of dam construction

The Lake Williams reservoir is empty because of the ongoing work to the dam. The water level in Lake Redman is "well below the spillway level," Hand said.

The water company had lowered Lake Redman to provide a buffer in case a tropical storm or hurricane dumped heavy rainfall. The intent is to protect the Lake Williams construction site.

Work on the dam is on schedule and on budget, Hand said. In the next three months, the water company expects to be able to impound water in the reservoir again, and it will refill whenever Mother Nature delivers precipitation.

The company says it is "balancing the fine line between too much and not enough water in storage. Earlier today York Water activated its Susquehanna River Pumping Station to supplement our water supply."

The water company warns that if conditions do not change in the next month, mandatory water restrictions could be put in place.

That's why the water company is asking customers to conserve now so it doesn't have to impose mandatory conservation, Hand said.

More on York Water: Company says water is safe to drink, despite change in smell and taste

Tips for helping to conserve water

The water company offered the following tips to help reduce water use:

  • Repair appliance and toilet leaks

  • Use washers and dishwashers only with full loads

  • Take shorter showers and turn off water while soaping

  • Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day

  • Keep chilled drinking water in the refrigerator

  • Do not wash cars, trucks, and other vehicles

  • Delay activities that require use of pressure washers or hoses

  • Do not water lawns and landscaping

  • Cease watering golf courses, fairways and greens, athletic fields, and other recreational facilities

  • Curtail use of fountains, artificial waterfalls, and reflecting pools

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: York Water Company asks customers to conserve water, drawing river water