Beginning the week of Oct. 12, the Town of Carthage will implement mandatory water restrictions while scheduled maintenance and upgrades are completed at the Town’s Water Treatment Plant.
The Town announced on its website that this is not the result of drought conditions or a water-quality concern. These temporary restrictions are necessary because the Water Treatment Plant is expected to be out of service for approximately eight weeks while this work is completed.
What does this mean for me?
During this time, all Town water customers are asked to reduce their water use by at least 20% compared with their previous month’s usage.
In addition:
*All non-essential uses of drinking water are prohibited.
*Garden and landscape irrigation must be reduced to the minimum amount necessary for plant survival.
*Customers are asked to avoid unnecessary water use and conserve whenever possible.
*Please be especially mindful of running water unnecessarily, outdoor water use, and other activities that can reasonably be postponed until the restrictions are lifted.
Why is conservation so important?
While the Water Treatment Plant is temporarily out of service, the Town will purchase water from Moore County and the Town of Southern Pines through emergency water-system interconnections.
There are two important reasons the Town needs everyone’s help conserving:
1. The Town’s temporary water supply is limited.
The amount of water available to Carthage through these emergency connections is not unlimited. Reducing demand will help ensure that sufficient water remains available for homes, businesses, essential services, and emergency needs throughout the maintenance period.
2. Conservation helps protect Town resources — and taxpayer dollars.
The water the Town must purchase during this project costs approximately twice as much as the rate the Town charges its customers. The Town will absorb that difference during the maintenance period. Every gallon conserved helps reduce the amount of higher-cost water the Town must purchase and helps limit the financial impact of this necessary infrastructure project.
Every Gallon Counts
The Town is asking every household and business to help reach the 20% reduction goal.
Small changes across the community can make a significant difference, the Town said. Shorter showers, running only full loads of laundry and dishes, repairing leaks promptly, limiting outdoor watering, and postponing unnecessary water use can collectively save thousands of gallons.
Conserving water during this period isn’t just about maintaining the water supply — it’s also about being good stewards of the community’s resources, the Town added.
Mandatory restrictions are expected to remain in effect through Dec. 6. This schedule may be adjusted if maintenance requirements or operational conditions change, and the Town will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Photo by Melissa Schaub/Sandhills Sentinel.
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