The Gettysburg Municipal Authority (GMA) has asked residents to cut back on water use, while the Littlestown Borough Authority has required it.
The actions are the result of lower stream flows in creeks and lower water tables.
Littlestown said two critical water sources for the borough had been impacted and are not able to be utilized.
“It hasn’t really rained for about a year and a half, said GMA Director Mark Guise. “Groundwater levels are low. We had no snow last year at all and there was no snowpack for recharging.”
“We’re asking people to reduce non-essential needs,” said Guise. “You can help us sustain a little longer. If things continue, we’ll have to change to a mandatory system.”
Littlestown has prohibited nonessential activities that use lots of water including watering lawns or gardens and washing sidewalks, driveways, sidewalks, and vehicles.
Littlestown Chief of Police/Borough Manager Charles G. Kellar said anyone caught violating the mandatory water ban would be subject to fines and immediate termination of water services.
Other suggestions for saving water include checking and repairing household leaks, running dishwashers and washing machines less often and only when full, not letting the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving, and taking shorter showers.
When mowing your lawn, try to set your blades higher. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention.
Guise said flows in Marsh Creek, from which GMA currently draws about 70 percent of its water, are reducing.
Guise said that, unlike other areas, watersheds in Adams County are not filled from other places. “In the Susquehanna River, if it rains in the north, water comes downriver,” he said. “But Marsh Creek starts in Orrtanna.”
Guise said another problem is that recent rainfalls had been more “flashy.” “We’re getting either two inches or nothing. The heavy rains run off into the bay and don’t help recharge ground wells. We’re not getting those nice day-long rains anymore,” he said.
“This is nothing new to the area,” said Guise. “We need to find the proper answer.”
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.
Adams County is the origin of two watershed systems – the Potomac & the Susquehanna – NO WATER FLOWS INTO THIS COUNTY! As such, we are the top of the watershed where there is little opportunity for impoundment or groundwater storage – we are far more reliant upon precipitation events than those farther down the watershed. Sustainable planning requires full knowledge of actual water resources and their recovery rates to recharge. We are ALREADY using water resources faster than replenishment. Each township is responsible for creating a land use plan designating where, what, and how much development may happen –… Read more »
We need more beavers
In addition to the water issue, I don’t think the roads will accommodate these new developments either.
It occurs to me that development in Adams County needs to be correlated with water needs. There is a ceiling on water availability, and we are well past the point when climate change can be reasonably denied or even questioned.
Worldwide, catastrophic weather events are occurring more and more frequently.
Locally, huge housing developments or downtown apartment complexes are obviously not viable. This water situation was completely predictable. Can we please stop this massive development frame of mind? Let’s all take a deep breath and have a little foresight.
Well said, Kathy. If we’re smart about growth and the natural capacity for our human impact on the resources Adams County provides, we won’t be talking about ‘buying’ a God-given, natural resource from a private company – read no big pipe carrying water into the county. The plight of development in the Colorado River basin should be a warning to those in the Susquehanna River Valley.
It hasn’t really rained for a year and a half. Really?
Recently, I received a call from Gettysburg asking that I conserve water. Later that week I saw an interview with someone from the fire department who stated there potentially isn’t enough water to fight fires in Adams County. I also have become aware that our water bills will soon be calculated differently with a flat rate per household in addition to a usage rate. Can anyone explain to me why we are building in excess of 400 household units in Gettysburg when we don’t have enough water?