Aqua IN reports stable water pressure

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Facing a state inquiry into whether it is able to adequately serve its customers, Aqua Indiana reported stable water pressure Tuesday and said its recent problems with low water pressure have been resolved.

In a news release issued Tuesday, the company said usage spiked to 5 million gallons on Monday following a brief decline during last weekend’s thunderstorms. It also said the public’s cooperation with calls to stop lawn watering is helping the utility meet high demand.

Through a water-sharing agreement with the City of Fort Wayne, approximately 1,400 of Aqua Indiana’s 12,000 customers in Aboite Township are receiving City water.

Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long said Monday he has initiated an inquiry with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission because he is "genuinely concerned about the ability of this utility to continue to provide adequate service to my constituents."

The commission has requested a public meeting with Aqua Indiana on July 13 to explore the cause of the low water pressure some customers experienced in June.

Aqua Indiana President Tom Bruns replied by letter, the company announced Tuesday, telling the commission, “The water pressure problems referenced in your letter were localized to an area of higher elevation and were caused by lawn irrigation demand nearly draining our elevated water towers during the morning hours. With conservation efforts by many of our customers and the connection to the Fort Wayne water system for a portion of our service area, the low pressure problems have been resolved."

Bruns continued, "Recognizing that the summer of 2012 has only begun, I can confirm that Aqua Indiana has no intention of disconnecting from the Fort Wayne system until we are confident that water needs of our customers can be fully met by our own distribution system.”