CONTACT INFORMATION:
14 South Fort Harrison Avenue
Clearwater, Fl 33756
Customer Service (727) 464-4000
E-mail: custsrv@pinellascounty.org

June 7, 2006

To alleviate the risk of running out of reclaimed water this coming weekend, it is necessary to shut the reclaimed water system down one additional day per week beginning tomorrow, Thursday, June 8th at 7:00 a.m. Reclaimed water will not be available from 7:00 a.m. Thursday through 7:00 a.m. Saturday or from 7:00 a.m. Monday through 7:00 a.m. Wednesday until seasonal rains commence. This action will result in reclaimed water service being provided to our customers on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday of each week. This action affects 2,400 Utilities reclaimed water customers in its north county service area.

Demand for reclaimed water is at an unprecedented level, driven by our current drought situation. Residential customer usage for irrigation has reached an all time high of approximately 50,000 gallons per month as compared with 20,000 gallons per month demand on the potable water system for all homeowner uses. With demands this high, there is a danger of exhausting the water in our reclaimed water storage ponds and damaging the pumping equipment. In addition, many of our customers are experiencing low system pressure.

Utilities has taken a series of progressive steps to restore reclaimed water pond levels. We asked for a voluntarily limitation on reclaimed water use but levels continued to decline. In an effort to address declining levels in the reclaimed water storage ponds, Utilities implemented a two day per week system shut down on April 17, 2006. Utilities then implemented a three day per week system on May 19, 2006. None of these steps have been successful in restoring the reclaimed water pond level thus requiring a fourth day of shut down.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation. For more details, call the reclaimed water hot line at (727) 464-4273.

Source: www.pinellascounty.org/utilities

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