Date: Fri 30-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

weather-water-supply

Full Text:

Parched Conditions Spark Worries About Water Supply

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Health District Director Mark Cooper is advising residents to conserve water

as best they can in light of the extreme drought which has hit the state this

summer.

Your well water could be nearing empty, depending on the soil conditions

around it.

"I would caution people to use their water conservatively. It wouldn't

surprise me if people started having supply problems," he said Tuesday.

This drought is a result of an incredible string of 90-plus degree days and a

lack of rainfall.

"We're only a little more than halfway through the summer and we've already

passed the average number of 90-degree days for the entire summer...19," noted

Mike Erickson of the Western Connecticut State University weather center.

After a wetter than usual May, things began to dry up in June and July. In

June, the Danbury area was 2.01 inches below normal, and another 1.70 inches

below normal in July. What little rain there has been has come down in

buckets, providing little assistance.

"Torrential downpours do not help," Mr Erickson said. "It flows off the top

and into rivers and reservoirs. The dry ground acts as a repellent."

Earlier this month, the drought index for all of Connecticut [except

Litchfield County] was "severe."

So far, this summer has produced four days where the thermometer has reached

the century mark. It reached its highest mark on July 6 -- 103 degrees. The

hottest temperature ever recorded in the area was 106 degrees in 1995.

Determining if your well is nearing the danger zone is difficult because of

its depth, Mr Cooper said. Some residents may have plenty of water in their

wells, while others might want to avoid filling their pools or taking extra

long showers.

Some Newtown residents have had their wells hydrofracted in an effort to

increase their yield. The process of hydrofracting costs between $2-4,000 and

involves the use of an inflatable bladder, which is lowered into the well and

inflated. This creates intense pressure inside the well, opening cracks and

hairline fissures that might find their way to additional sources of water.

If your well is going dry, there are some warning signs, including increased

turbidity and very low yield. If you see this, Mr Cooper advises you to shut

down your system to avoid burning out the pump.