City Water Light and Power wouldn't rule out future Springfield water restrictions after aldermen raised concerns at Tuesday's city council meeting.
Ward 1 Alderman Frank Edwards, who lives near Lake Springfield, says he watches the lake levels drop every day due to heavy usage and evaporation from the heat. CWLP Water Division Director Tom Skelly told the city council lake levels are about a foot below normal and dropping by a quarter inch to half an inch every day.
"The drought forecast basically suggests that the month of July is going to be dry, but every month for the rest of the year could be an equal chance for precipitation... or hot and dry conditions," said Skelly.
Springfield was last under water restrictions in 2000, and Skelly says the lake is falling at levels similar to that time period. But he says 2000 also saw what he calls "miracle rains" in June, which caused the city to rescind the order quickly.
He didn't say restrictions are imminent, but he wouldn't rule them out either.