Des Moines Water Works Requests Water from Saylorville - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

Des Moines Water Works Requests Water from Saylorville

Addie Olson

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The drought of 2012 is continuing its grip in to 2013. Water levels continue to deteriorate, and Des Moines Water Works is tapping into Saylorville Reservoir in anticipation of the shortage. 

Saylorville Lake is at its lowest point ever, but Water Works is pulling about 5 million gallons out of the reservoir.

Water Works bought rights for access to Saylorville Reservoir 30 years ago. They have never tapped into those resources before, but tomorrow they'll be using this resource for the first time.

Water Works CEO Bill Stowe said it's not a matter of if they need to use this water, it's a matter of when.

"It's certainly something that's a reality. We saw drought last year, we saw a deterioration in water quality. We assume that kind of circumstance is certainly foreseeable if not definitely what's going to happen next year, and we need to plan around those kinds of concerns."

Stowe said although 5 million gallons may seem like a lot, it's negligible compared to how much water is in the reservoir, and how much water Central Iowa uses.