Braidwood struggling to keep up with demand for water

The City of Braidwood issued a notice to water users urging them conserve usage as the municipality struggles to meet the demand.
Mayor Todd Lyons issued a notice Monday, explaining that water use restrictions are being implemented due to the aging water treatment plant’s inability to keep up.
“Due to typical summer demands on our water system, the City of Braidwood is implementing temporary water use restrictions, effective immediately. We understand this may cause some inconvenience, and we want to be transparent about the reasons behind this decision,” Lyons said in a press release.
“We are actively working on upgrades to the existing water treatment plant to increase its capacity and efficiency as the city grows. We are in the process of developing a new well to help supplement our overall water supply.”
The water tower behind city hall, which has been off-line since January, needs repairs and the process of securing a contractor to bring it back online is underway.
“While this will not fully solve the issue, restoring the water tower will provide some relief to the system and improve overall water pressure and storage,” Lyons said.
In the meantime, the city is asking that all residents conserve water whenever possible, particularly during peak hours and for non-essential uses like lawn irrigation and car washing.
Actions such as filling a pool, watering lawns and gardens, washing cars will be allowed but on a restricted schedule. Residents who live on odd street numbers are allowed water usage on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; even street numbers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
“We appreciate your patience and support as we invest in the future of our community’s water supply,” Lyons concluded.