Dangerously low water supply for Sedan, Kansas
9/18/2023 3:25:02 PM
CATEGORIES:
Plants & Wildlife
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Tourism & Recreation
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Chautauqua County, KS
Sedan, KS
Start Date: 7/15/2023
- End Date: 9/15/2023
Sedan in southeast Kansas was running dangerously low on water. The local water supply in Chautauqua County was so low that the drinking water for several cities and rural water districts was in jeopardy. The intake pipe to a floating pump was at a steep angle as the water level went lower, stressing a flexible joint. If the joint were to break, thousands of people in three counties would lose their water supply. The southeast corner of Kansas does not have aquifers underground and relies instead on lakes and rivers.
Sedan closed its city pool mid-summer to conserve water. The town’s only car wash also closed. Schools shut off drinking fountains and provided bottled water. Residents may not use municipal water for lawn or garden watering, so air conditioner condensation was being collected and used to water plants. Sedan has trimmed its water use by about 30% since entering a stage 3 water emergency in early August.
The water district was moving the floating dock further into the lake to access a deeper part of the lake.
MissouriIndependent.com (Jefferson City, Mo.), Sept 15, 2023
Sources
