The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County has issued a mandatory water conservation order for customers served by the Beaver Run Reservoir, including the community of Saltsburg.
The authority said in a statement that the 56,000 customers that are served by the reservoir to cut water use by 10 percent, which for the average home is a reduction from 62 gallons a day to 56 gallons. The majority of those customers live north of Route 30. Officials added that there are no plans in place to penalize or seek enforcement of the order, but they do not know at this time how long the order will last.
Officials are blaming a lack of precipitation for the current situation. Right now, the reservoir’s water level is 1033 feet above sea level, but the average is at 1042 feet.
While many activities that require water use like watering lawns, washing cars and hosing off sidewalks are not typically done this time of year, the authority is advising affected people to take shorter showers and limit how much water is used for chores like laundry, dishwashing and others. Homeowners are also advised to check their systems for any leaks.
