By Katy Savage, Standard Staff
Eric Wegner knows that he needs 1.38 gallons of water to flush a toilet and about 2.5 gallons of water for each minute of his showers. The numbers have become a daily concern.
Wegner lives on Biscuit Hill Way and his spring-fed water system has been dry for four weeks and counting.
Each week, Wegner fills a 400-gallon water tank in the back of his pickup truck and hauls it to his home.
“You really learn what conservation’s all about,” said Wegner.
He keeps a bowl of water in the sink to do dishes and he has a system for taking showers: “You get wet, you soap up…and you turn it on again and you rinse off,” Wegner said.
The National Weather Service has categorized Windsor County as an area in “moderate drought” while north of here is “abnormally dry.” But Wegner, who is vice president of the Woodstock Aqueduct Company, said this is the worst drought he’s seen in 30 years.
Wegner’s spring is nine-feet deep. He’s been trying to get Ottauquechee Well Drilling to dig him a well, but the company is so busy tending to other water shortages, that it told Wegner it will be a two-week wait.
George Spear, who owns the company, got home after dark on Monday and had a dozen calls on his answering machine — six more homes were out of water.
“I’m exhausted,” Spear said.
He’s talked to people who have been out of water for two months or more. He agreed with Wegner. It’s the driest he’s seen it.
Another Woodstock resident, Susie Chamberlin has been without water for two weeks.
Chamberlin, who lives in South Woodstock, had a 500-foot well drilled last week and still found no water.
She fills up once a week from a neighbor’s well and has “multiple hoses” connected to her spring.
For showers Chamberlin says she takes “under 5 minutes, just in and out.”
As far as toilets, “Pretty much the old saying, ‘If it’s yellow let it mellow, and if it’s brown flush it down.’” The South Royalton Water Department just issued a notice to users last Thursday, asking them to “refrain from any leisurely use such as car washing extended showers/baths, etc.”
Wegner also issued water conservation notices to the Woodstock Aqueduct Company’s customers. The groundwater system has three wells. Water is low, but the levels are starting to come back up in the lower well, Wegner said.
Wegner has been filling up on the company’s water system as he waits for his well. He considers the water one of the perks of working at the Woodstock Aqueduct Company.
“It’s like camping,” Wegner said.
While most are enjoying this season’s colors, Wegner is just waiting for the leaves to drop so the trees stop sucking up water from his spring.
“We really need water, fast,” Wegner said.
Those with spring water are worried about the future, past this winter season. An early frost would prevent water from seeping into the ground.
A covering of snow would keep the ground warm enough to keep water moving.
“We need a lot of snow,” said Spear.
Wegner isn’t concerned about the Woodstock Aqueduct Company’s water now, but if there’s a dry winter, “I’m concerned about the water levels next spring,” he said.
This article first appeared in the October 20, 2016 edition of the Vermont Standard.
Despite Rain and Snow, Dry Conditions Continue Throughout Vermont
Despite rain and snow this past weekend, state officials want Vermonters to be mindful of water use and to take steps to conserve water when possible. Abnormally dry conditions this spring and summer have taken a toll on water levels, and may impact drinking water supplies through fall and into the winter.
Low rainfall, combined with last years’ low snowpack and abnormally low spring runoff, has created ripe conditions for mild to moderate drought impacts around the state. National Weather Service data from April to October show that most of Vermont is experiencing a total rainfall deficit of about four to eight inches below average. In areas of the southern Connecticut River Valley, and in Grand Isle and Chittenden Counties, the deficit is as high as twelve inches.
“The precipitation this weekend may have provided some temporary short-term relief, but it’s not enough,” said Scott Whittier, Burlingtonbased meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “We need several of these systems to come through to ‘recharge’ the groundwater supplies before the ground freezes in winter.”
State agencies were notified last week of several situations where homeowners, farms, or town water districts were struggling with insufficient water supplies. A State Drought Task Force made up of representatives from several state and federal agencies has convened to coordinate information and response to emerging drought issues.
The task force has launched a crowd-sourced drought map to begin collecting data on where water supply shortages are occurring. Vermonters are being asked to report their low or dry drinking water wells using this online tool so areas of concern can be identified and assistance coordinated, if necessary. The task force is also issuing water conservation guidance for all citizens.
“Drought can become very widespread across a region or appear in very localized pockets,” said State Climatologist Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, a professor at the University of Vermont and member of the task force. “It is difficult to predict. We can be in an extended drought situation, or go from a drought to flood conditions in a very short space of time. That’s why it’s so important for people to have a conservation mindset as winter nears.”
Vermonters are encouraged to take these simple steps to reduce water consumption at home:
• Repair leaking faucets, pipes, toilets, or other fixtures as soon as possible.
• Run the dishwasher or laundry machine only with full loads.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge for cold drinking water to avoid needing to run the tap.
• Avoid washing your car.
• Consider installing simple, cost-effective tools that decrease household water consumption. Aerators for kitchen sink faucets only cost several dollars and are simple to install, and water efficient showerheads can make a drastic difference in water consumption. Contact your local hardware store for availability.
If your drinking water well runs low or dry:
• Report your issue to the Drought Task Force using an online form.
• Do not use a tanker or fire truck to refill your drinking water well. It is an inefficient use of water and could contaminate your drinking water system.
• Conserving water will help prevent your well from running dry.
Drinking water wells that run low or dry can lead to a risk of illness. Drought does not generally affect the quality of the groundwater itself, but if a well runs dry and loses pressure, it may draw in contaminated water from nearby sources such as a septic system, or through small leaks in the system.
If you notice sediment or a change in the taste or color of your water, it may be a sign that your water supply is running low. To evaluate possible health risks, test your drinking water for bacteria. To order a drinking water test kit call 800-660-9997, or visit healthvermont.gov/enviro/ph_lab/water_test.aspx .
For more drought information and water conservation tips, visit anr.vermont. gov/about_us/special-topics/drought or call the Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division at 802-828-1535.
For private drinking water well and other safe drinking water resources and information, visit healthvermont.gov/enviro/water/safe_water.aspx.