Winterset Looking to Outside Water Supplier - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

Winterset Looking to Outside Water Supplier

Addie Olson

aolson@myabc5.com

@addieolson

Cedar Lake is 82 inches below its normal level, which means that Winterset will be using water from another supplier.

If the lake continues to dwindle, they may have to take even greater measures.

After a year of drought, and moving into the second stage of Winterset's emergency water plan, Dave LaGrange doesn't think the end is in sight.

"Based on the weather forecasts that I'm seeing, no," said LaGrange, "I'm afraid to say I'm not seeing anything that's got me hopeful."

The city will be pulling water from another supplier starting next week, and residents are doing everything they can to help.

"I'm always conserving whenever I can, whether it's power or water," said Kevin White of Winterset.

If the levels of Cedar Lake continue to follow, they'll have to ask even more of the town.

"We then start to ask businesses that use water to try to conserve more water," said LaGrange.

And even though he does his part as a Winterset resident, Kevin White can't save quite as much water as a business manager.

"We're using about 40,000 gallons a day," he said.

He's using that water to take care of 850,000 chickens at the Rose Acre Egg Farm in Winterset.

If the city has to ask businesses to save more water, there aren't many options for Rose Acre.

"There's not a whole lot we could do that wouldn't hurt our business," he said.

But LaGrange is keeping a positive outlook. Whatever measures they have to take, he believes Winterset will be OK.

"We're going to make it through," he said. "That's for sure."

Officials from Winterset said they'll have to ask businesses to save if the lake gets down to around nine feet below its normal level.