The City of Guthrie has a stressed water supply due to a lack of rain, and city officials are reviewing options to address the matter.
“I don’t want to alarm anyone at this point, but I think it’s pretty obvious to us that we do have a stressed city of Guthrie water supply,” said City Manager Leroy Alsup. “It has been dry. Over the next two weeks, city staff will be evaluating the current water supply status, water demands, water supply projections and other shortage related scenarios and report their findings and recommendations to the City Manager and City Council.”
Alsup said the city’s average demand on its water system is 1.46 million gallons of water per day.
“That is a lot of water,” he said. “If we do not receive some spring grain in the near future, there is a chance water reduction options appropriate to the level of water supply shortage could very well be an action item on the May 2 City Council/Public Works Authority meeting.”
Alsup said Guthrie has several different customer types which all utilize water to add value to the city’s economy and the way of life.
“Any water reduction plan must be balanced and consider the unique needs of these different customer types,” he said. “Municipal response options will be the first to be activated as it’s important to send local residents a message that city facilities and operations will be leading the effort to reduce water.”
Alsup said the city has already closed the pipeline that keeps the pond full at Mineral Wells Park; cut the city street sweeping schedule to an as-needed basis, and limit watering at city ballfields.
He said the City is also considering delaying the opening of the splash pads at Mineral Wells and at Banner Park, and could delay the opening of the pool at Highland Park.
“Those are (some) of the things that we could gradually implement if we don’t get rain over the next two to three weeks,” he said.
Alsup said the City also recommends voluntary water usage reductions from residents until sufficient rainfall is received.
In other matters, Alsup, who is retiring at the end of April, expressed gratitude to the City Council and City staff for their support.
“I had a 44-year municipal career,” he said. “I started working with the government in 1979. Over those years, it has been my privilege to work with and mentor some of the finest public employees that I have ever experienced. I treasure the life-long friendships that I have developed at the various stops during my journey. The last 44 years I have woken up thinking my sole purpose that day was to do what was in the best interest for the community that I served. My greatest accomplishment here has been Team Guthrie. The Team Guthrie standard has been instilled in city government culture and become part of our DNA. Throughout my career, I have had great department head management teams at each stop along my path. However, I must admit the City of Guthrie department head management team that we have assembled is second to none. It is clear to everyone when city staff works together with our community, state and federal partners, there is no challenge, task or project too big or too daunting that collectively we cannot achieve our collective goals.”
Alsup also praised incoming City Manager Eddie Faulkner.
“I am excited to see Eddie Faulkner take the reins as the next Guthrie City Manager,” he said. “I believe that Mr. Faulkner will be an asset to the Guthrie community from day one. By working with the current city department heads and leadership team and our community partners, his tenure in Guthrie will be as productive as my own tenure in the Guthrie community.”