It’s still raining – just not enough to lift mandatory water restrictions

During his report of October 11, Front Royal Town Manager Joe Waltz noted that the weekend rains received from the remnants of Hurricane Nate had not impacted the Mandatory Water Restrictions in place.  He added that the rains anticipated throughout the remainder of the week were not immediately expected to change the situation.

While much of Nate’s devastation as a hurricane was related to the amount of rain it dumped causing flooding, this area got less than an inch (.89 to be precise), Waltz observed.  It may be that Massanutten Mountain once again bounced a weather front approaching from the west or southwest over Front Royal and Warren County – this time not such a good thing with rain a much-needed commodity in the Shenandoah River at this time.  We can only hope localities upstream experience significantly more rain in coming days than we thus far have.

Along with other communities utilizing the Shenandoah River as a source of municipal water, Front Royal went from voluntary to mandatory restriction on September 30.  That was when the 14-day rolling average flow rate of the South Fork of the Shenandoah dropped below 340 cubic feet per second (cfs).  That number translates to about 220-million gallons per day.

When mandatory water conservation went into effect on September 30, the 14-day rolling flow was measured at 292 cfs.  On Thursday afternoon, October 12, the 14-day average flow had risen to 321 cfs.  Mandatory conservation is maintained between 340 and 240 cfs.  Were the rate to fall below 240 cfs for 14 days, emergency conservation measures would be implemented.

The rivers’ flowing – just not very high, as illustrated at this intake facility near Eastham Park at the end of Luray Ave. Photos/Roger Bianchini

As previously reported, under Mandatory Water Restrictions all users of the Front Royal municipal water system – including those in Warren County’s commercial north corridor – shall be prohibited from the following:

The watering of 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) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.;

The outdoor washing of automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes, or other types of mobile equipment, except in a commercial vehicle wash facility;

The washing of private streets, driveways, parking lots, service station grounds, or other paved outdoor surfaces;

The operation of any ornamental fountains, unless the water is recycled. Municipal ornamental fountains shall be cleaned and closed within two (2) days of the mandatory water conservation restriction declaration;

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

Violation of any of these MANDATORY water conservation activities can be punished by a fine up to $1000 per offense committed. In addition, each day that a violation occurs can be punished as a separate offense. Water users are urged to comply with these efforts.

Water users are requested to continue to reduce water usage through various other water conservation measures. Voluntary water conservation practices include the following:

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.

If you have additional questions, you may contact the Public Works Department at (540) 635-7819.