NewsLeak

According to The State Journal-Register, officials in Jacksonville have imposed voluntary water conservation regulations on residents, as the heightened amount of water being used has caused problems for a local treatment plant.

The news source relayed that a treatment plant was submerged in several feet of water after recent heavy rainfall and overuse of water by local residents. As a result, certain communities were forced to halt their water use and went under boil orders for several days.

"Even though the restrictions were lifted, the work continues at the water plant to get back to where we were before the flood," Jack Cosner, superintendent of utilities operations, told the news source. "Each day brings new challenges to get the old equipment repaired or replaced and the new up to speed."

Cosner further explained that some of the equipment in the plant will work for several days and then experience another problem, leaving its staff scrambling to get it fixed.

"Because of the flood and now the heat wave and dry spell, I'm asking our customers to voluntarily restrict some of their water usage," Cosner told the news source.

According to other officials, a preliminary cost of restoring the water plant was recently said to be $825,000. This includes $700,000 in equipment replacement and expenses, $80,000 in lost revenue and $45,000 in overtime wages. 

In a recent report from BND.com, Illinois American Water provided advice for consumers to use in terms of water conservation during the summer.

Due to the recent rash of hot and humid weather experienced by most of the country, many regions have seen their water supplies drop significantly.

Illinois American Water has requested that consumers in the Southwestern section of Illinois, as well as those in St. Louis, be more conscientious about their water usage. One such water use to become more responsible about, according to the company, is watering one's lawn.

"Watering either in the early morning or evening helps to conserve water," said Esther Dundor, Illinois American Water's director of Environmental Compliance and Water Quality. "As much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation by watering during midday."

According to the BND report, water consumption in the average American household can exceed 1,000 gallons per day during the summer months. By comparison, during the other times of the year, this consumption is 260 gallons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports.

Being more aware of a household's water consumption can help prevent lessened supplies during the year's hottest months.