Despite droughts, city's reservoirs still have plenty of water

DISCUSS

The drought dries out lawns and seems to evaporate shallow streams, but customers who get their water from Fort Wayne City Utilities need not worry.

The city's water system has kept up so well with demand that local officials haven't had any discussions on tapping the vast Hurshtown Reservoir, according to Mary Jane Slaton, a program manager for City Utilities.

Its main reservoirs – located on the St. Joseph River and, farther north, at Leo -Cedarville – are still adequate to meet Fort Wayne's needs, she said. In the event of a truly disastrous drought, the city could turn to the 1.8 billion gallon stockpile of water in the Hurshtown.

“The backup supply of water in Hurshtown Reservoir has never had to be used,” she said.

“Right now we are monitoring the St. Joe River and the level of the St. Joe and Cedarville reservoirs every day … the St. Joe watershed is large, so even if we don't have rain right here in Fort Wayne, rain in southern Michigan or parts of northwest Ohio can improve flow conditions,” she said.

bcaylor@news-sentinel.com