Meanwhile, several other Moore County municipalities are also taking steps to cut down on usage until the drought has eased.
At a special meeting held to discuss the water crisis, Public Works Supervisor Sammy Taylor told the Carthage Board of Commissioners that the water level in the reservoir had risen nearly a foot. He is researching the cost of dredging the lake and will report back when he has some prices.
He said water usage had dropped considerably.
Fines for violating town ordinances relating to water usage were raised to $500 per day, but no such fines have had to be levied, Taylor told the board at Friday’s meeting.
Mayor Larry Caddell said he greatly appreciated the efforts on the part of residents.
“Never in the history of the town of Carthage have we asked people to help and they have not stepped up to the plate,” Caddell said. “We can always count on their help whenever we need it, and we appreciate it. I want the people to know that we are doing everything we can do.”
Town Manager Carol Cleetwood told the board she has been looking into the request by a car wash for approval of a well to be used in time of drought.
The board passed a measure approving a permit for a well, subject to strict controls of the same type as those in force in Chatham County. The car wash will be charged, by meter, for sewer usage on its well water. It can only operate the well during drought conditions, and must post a sign indicating that the water used at the car wash comes from such a well. Connections will have to be made in such a way as to prevent any possibility of a backwash contamination of town water from the well source.
Bill Lester, Tim Matlin, and Stephanie Clossen from Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates reported to the board on the feasibility of adding new municipal wells as an additional source of water. Lester said such an effort would be highly speculative and would be a risky venture that might prove an expensive undertaking for the town. He did not recommend it.
The town will explore the cost of dredging the present reservoir and extending its borders to increase storage capacity.
Sammy Taylor traveled up Nick’s Creek after Friday afternoon’s meeting to look for trapped water. He returned again Monday and found that his previous trip had destroyed several water moccasin nests. The snakes were out in force to greet the return party.
“We killed seven, as big around as my arm,” Water and Sewer Distribution Supervisor Robbie Baker reported.
Members of Taylor’s team said they were able to locate two large areas of water pooled behind beaver dams upstream from the town’s intake. The town will try to pump out the water rather than destroy the dams.
“We can recover more water that way, without wasting it,” Cleetwood said.
At a special session Monday, the Southern Pines Town Council adopted an ordinance amendment that gives Town Manager Kyle Sonnenberg the power to impose voluntary and mandatory conservation measures.
With the new amendment the town manager can also call for water shortage emergency measures.
In Pinehurst, the Village Council adopted a resolution Tuesday to take conservation measures similar to those ordered in Southern Pines. Moore County owns the Pinehurst water system, so the council has to send the resolution to the county.
Members of the Southern Pines council said they hope Sonnenberg won’t have to use any of his new powers. Right now the council is just calling for people to conserve.
Southern Pines gets its water from Drowning Creek. The town funnels the water from Drowning Creek into a 20-million-gallon pond that is presently full, but going down.
The problem is that the level of Drowning Creek is getting low. Officials say it’s stayed fairly consistent in the last week, but it is hard for them to tell because the level has gone below the town’s measuring device.
Southern Pines has two intakes in the creek. One is well under water, but one is only about a foot under the surface.
Members of the council said they wouldn’t worry too much unless the creek drops from its current level.
“If it stays at that level, we can continue to make the water we need to,” Sonnenberg said.
The council said that if the level of the creek drops, Sonnenberg can enact mandatory conservation measures.
That means cutting out nonessential uses of water like fountains, sprinklers and pools.
Police officers will enforce the mandatory conservation by giving people notice of violations and asking them to stop. If Sonnenberg decides that a person is flagrantly continuing to violate the conservation measures, he can have them charged with a misdemeanor that can carry a $50 fine or a 30-day jail sentence.
The town can also enact civil penalties of a fine up to $500. The ordinance directs the town manager to “take into account all relevant circumstances,” because the council doesn’t want future councils to be able to use the fines to gain revenue.
The ordinance amendment also sets up an appeal system. Someone who wants to appeal a fine just has to alert the town manager and then can appeal to the council.
In Pinebluff, the Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance last week calling for voluntary water restrictions.
The board wants residents to regulate watering lawns, washing cars and other luxurious uses of water to certain days of the week.
The ordinance calls for houses with even numbers to stem their water usage on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and houses with odd numbers to conserve on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
After a few more weeks, the board will convene to decide if any other measures are necessary.
