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

October 31, 2006

To alleviate the risk of running out of reclaimed water, action is being taken to reduce daily system demands. Beginning Friday, November 3, north County reclaimed water customers will have reclaimed water available three days per week for irrigation. Customers south of Alderman Road and west of US 19 North will have reclaimed water available on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 12:00 a.m. until midnight. Customers in all other north County service areas will have reclaimed water available on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, also in 24-hour intervals beginning at 12:00 a.m. On Mondays, the reclaimed water system will be down for maintenance and pond recovery. This action affects over 2,600 County Utilities reclaimed water customers.

During the month of September, 22 inches of rainfall was received in the north Pinellas reclaimed water service area. No rainfall was received during the month of October. With increased customer demand, the storage pond level of reclaimed water has been rapidly declining, to the point of exhausting the water in the pond and damaging the pumping equipment.

Unlike previous years, this new strategy will provide reclaimed water on alternating days of the week within each of two designated zones. As a result, Utilities will be able to restore normal pond operating levels and provide sufficient volume of reclaimed water to meet lawn irrigation needs and maintain adequate system pressure for all customers.

Utilities plans to implement this new strategy on November 3; however, if reclaimed water storage pond levels fall to a critical point, Utilities may have to shut the reclaimed water system down before the planned date. Therefore, it is requested that all County reclaimed water customers in the north County service area reduce their lawn irrigation to minimum amounts until Friday, November 3.

For more details, please call the reclaimed water “Hot Line” (727) 464-4273, or visit www.pinellascounty.org/utilities.

Source: www.pinellascounty.org/utilities

Got to Main Press Release Page