Front Royal officials issue voluntary water conservation order

Front Royal officials are asking town residents to conserve water until further notice due to low flow rates on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.

FRONT ROYAL – Town Manager Joseph Waltz announced at the regular meeting of the Town Council on Monday that residents are being asked to observe voluntary water conservation efforts due to a decrease in flow levels in the South Fork of the Shenandoah River.

The Town of Front Royal Public Works Department reported that as of Saturday, (September 23) the 14-day rolling average stream flow rate of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River dropped below 400 cubic feet per second (cfs), or approximately 260 million gallons per day.

The Town’s permit for water withdrawal from the river issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality stipulates that when the flow level reaches the current level, all users of the Town of Front Royal’s municipal water system are to use voluntary conservation efforts.

Voluntary water conservation practices include the following:

• Watering shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants or any other vegetation from town water supplies (except indoor plantings, greenhouse and commercial nursery stocks, and new plantings less than one-year old) before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

• Limiting washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes or other types of mobile equipment to only once a week and only before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Use of a commercial vehicle wash facility does not need to follow these time restrictions

• Washing of private streets, driveways, parking lots, service station grounds or other paved outdoor surfaces before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

• Limiting the operation of any ornamental fountains, unless the water is recycled.

• Limit filling of swimming and/or wading pools, except that filled pools may be topped off to maintain the appropriate levels for use

• Serving drinking water in restaurants only upon patron request

• Operating only fully loaded dishwashers and clothes washing machines.

• Take short showers instead of baths.

• Turn off the tap while shaving or brushing teeth.

• Use two basins when washing dishes by hand, one for washing and one for rinsing, rather than letting the tap run

• Reduce all non-essential water usage.

• Repair or replace all water fixtures with reduced flow fixtures.

Town officials encourage residents to practice water conservation practices and to monitor local media for future reports of water conservation efforts in the Town of Front Royal.

Any questions about the voluntary water restriction can be directed to the Department of Public Works at 540-635-7819.

Watering shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants or any other vegetation from town water supplies before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m /File photo