City prepares for significant drought

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The recent lack of rain is starting to take its toll on northeast Indiana. Dry conditions have put us in a moderate drought, but the city of Fort Wayne isn't worried about water supply for those who live within the city limits.

"We have plenty of water in our reservoirs, plenty of capacity in our water treatment plant," said Mary Jane Slaton, City of Fort Wayne Program Manager of City Utilities.

The city said it's not concerned with the recent dry conditions.

"We don't anticipate that with this spell of dry weather, that we're going to have any problems providing our customers with all the water that they want and need," Slaton said.

If the drought becomes significant, the city says it does have a plan to ease the low levels, and it starts with you. Slaton said they will ask customers to cut back on usage, such as curtailing lawn watering.

NewsChannel 15 asked Slaton if customers have to cut back, does the city cut back as well, especially for city pools and splash pads. She said the city will cut back where it can, but when it comes to the pools and splash pads, those are vital and must stay on.

"It's important to our residents to have community pools and to have places like the splash pads and like Headwaters Park, where they can go and cool off especially in a period of hot and dry weather," she said.

Again, the city isn't asking anyone to conserve water. Slaton said other cities and towns might not be so fortunate, because they don't have much water storage or the lack of rain has created a problem with supplying water.