The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is lifting the emergency water restrictions that have been in place for Chatham and several surrounding communities following issues with the main water transmission line feeding the Chatham Water Treatment Plant.
Residents are now being asked to conserve water by limiting grass watering over the next few days.
Effective immediately, residents and businesses in Chatham, Grande Pointe, Pain Court, Dover Centre, Mitchell’s Bay, Dresden, Tupperville, Eberts, Prairie Siding, Thamesville and Kent Bridge may resume normal water use such as showering, laundry and bathing.
The municipality’s largest industrial, commercial and institutional water customers are being contacted directly and asked to gradually resume water consumption over the next few days to avoid putting increased strain on the system. Restaurants, car washes and laundromats are no longer being asked to voluntarily remain closed.
Municipal splash pads and arenas in the impacted areas will reopen as scheduled Tuesday.
While the emergency restrictions have been lifted, regular lawn watering restrictions are now in effect for customers served by the affected water system. The restrictions apply to lawn watering, all irrigation uses and all other non-essential uses of the potable water supply. Customers with odd-numbered addresses will be allowed to water their lawns on odd-numbered days, while those with even-numbered addresses will be allowed to water on even-numbered days. The restrictions do not apply to newly sodded lawns.
The municipality and Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission thanked residents and businesses for their cooperation throughout the restrictions, saying the reduction in water use across the affected communities produced real results and helped protect the water system while crews worked to stabilize operations.
“This was truly a community effort, and I want to thank everyone who stepped up when we needed them,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff. “Residents made changes at home, and businesses adjusted their operations, with some voluntarily closing or reducing services to help conserve water. Those efforts made a real difference. I’m incredibly grateful for the patience, cooperation and community spirit we saw throughout this situation.”
The municipality said it recognizes the inconvenience the emergency restrictions caused and thanked residents, businesses and community organizations for their understanding and cooperation, adding the collective response demonstrated the significant impact conservation can have when the community works together.
