STANFORD, Ky. (LEX 18) — Stanford is under a state of emergency after water levels in their reservoirs dropped to critically-low levels. The mayor says it's a result of the ongoing drought and delays in getting parts to repair pumps. He's asking Stanford residents to conserve water.
Mayor Dalton Miller issued the declaration Wednesday. Lincoln County is in a moderate drought. Miller said the water department also had to wait 10 months on parts to repair pumps. Those issues, he said, have left the city's reservoirs critically low.
"Fortunately, we do have three reservoirs to draw water from. Unfortunately, we only have three reservoirs to draw water from. We don't have a Lake Herrington. We don't have a Lake Cumberland. We depend on runoff from about, I think it's about 18,000 acres," Miller said.
The emergency declaration allows the city to purchase more water without taking the time to go through the usual government procedures. Miller is asking residents to reduce their water use by 20%.
Courtney Elliott, owner of The Babe Cave Salon in Stanford, said she was brainstorming ways for her business to help out.
"There's quite of a few of my clients that were like, 'No problem, I'll do a dry cut!,'" Elliott said.
She also said they could do laundry at her mother's house outside the water district.
"We usually do the laundry here, the towels and the capes, and there's quite a bit because we try to keep everything fresh and clean, so we might just have to temporarily take that stuff to her house and use her space for that to help," Elliott said.
"I definitely want to look out where I can, so that we continue to have water, for the needs, so I think just doing my part by conserving where I can will just help us have it for when we need it more," she added.
Miller said, based on historical averages, the reservoirs could return to their normal levels by the end of February.
