Westmoreland County exits drought watch; conservation continues for Beaver Run water users
State officials on Tuesday lifted a drought watch for Westmoreland County that had been in place since early December.
Still, the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County is continuing a voluntary water conservation directive for more than 56,000 of its customers who are served from the Beaver Run Reservoir.
The state Drought Task Force also approved a return to normal status for seven other counties in central and eastern Pennsylvania that had been subject to a drought watch or warning.
According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania has received sufficient rain and snow over the past months to reduce long-term precipitation deficits.
Municipal authority spokesman Matt Junker said the water level in the Beaver Run Reservoir was at 1,038.6 feet above sea level on Wednesday, estimated at the equivalent of more than 6.8 billion gallons of water. That’s beyond April’s goal of 1,037 feet — a target that changes over time, based on historical precipitation patterns.
According to Junker, the reservoir level fell to a low of 1,032.2 feet on Jan. 9 and was up to a recent high of 1,038.8 feet on Feb. 5 before receding again.
Before ending the voluntary conservation program, he said, the authority wants to make sure there is a steady recovery in the water level at the reservoir.
Guided by a drought contingency plan, he said, “We want to make sure we’re moving firmly in the positive direction and have the reservoir in a healthy condition. No one is in danger of running out of water. The purpose is to help the reservoir recover more quickly when it starts to get a little low.
“The forecast is for more rain through the weekend. That should help.”
As drought-like conditions and reservoir levels changed, the authority initiated its voluntary conservation program Nov. 17, asking customers to reduce water consumption by 5%. It switched to mandatory conservation measures on Dec. 18 and returned to a voluntary mode at the end of January.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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