The City of Bloomington is asking residents and businesses to reduce their water use, as water levels at lakes Bloomington and Evergreen have dropped more than 8 feet below adequate levels.
City officials say lower water levels are not expected to lead to the taste and odor problems that plagued the water supply early last year.
Much of McLean County, including Bloomington-Normal, is in a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
At a news conference at Davis Lodge near Lake Bloomington on Friday, Mayor Dan Brady framed the water conservation request as an additional New Year’s resolution.
“Think if we can get close to 5% conservation, how that could help in what are these months that are challenging months when it comes to moisture,” Brady said, adding the city pumps about 9.5 million tons of water from the two lakes daily.
Brady noted city code allows the city to authorize a voluntary conservation anytime water drops a combined 8 feet below adequate levels.
Interim Water Director Brett Lueschen said Lake Bloomington is about 5 feet below the top of the spillway, while Evergreen Lake is 3 feet below the dam.
Lueschen said small steps can make a big difference.
“That is just as easy as turning off the water when brushing your teeth, when you are doing laundry [or] dishes, just make sure the dishwasher is full and the washing machine is full,” Lueschen said.
He said it’s too soon to predict how long voluntary conservation may be necessary, but the rain predicted late next week may not be enough.
“We definitely need that significant rain, especially inside of our watershed to be able to get the water into our reservoirs,” Lueschen said.
Taste and odor
Lower water levels helped contribute to algae growth in the lakes early last year, which caused taste and odor issues.
Bloomington’s superintendent of purification, Scott Joyce, said the city’s use of powdered activated charcoal [PAC] has been working to filter the naturally occurring compounds geosmin and methylisoborneol [MIB] out of the water.
“We have brought those MIB levels down to below the threshold of taste and odor for the average person. I think that some people might still be able to taste a little bit,” Joyce said, adding geosmin levels are no longer detectable.
The city has purchased a permanent filtration system which Deputy City Manager Sue McLaughlin said will be phased in between February and April.
City officials maintain the city’s water has always been safe to drink.
Lueschen said the city is currently drawing from Lake Bloomington. The city periodically switches between the two lakes.
Leaks
As a way to ensure water is not going to waste, the city plans to have leak detection kits available at The Hub at the Government Center.
The kit includes a vial you can put under the sink to measure how much water you may be losing, along with a dye that can be placed in a toilet bowl to indicate whether leaks are present, Joyce said.
Long-term supply
The need for conservation during a drought raises the question about the need for long-term enhancements to the city’s water supply.
McLaughlin noted the city is already working on ideas based on a study the city conducted last year.
“I think you’ll start seeing some discussion at the council level in the coming months of what is the next step, is it dredging, is it a new source, is it more storage; those kinds of options,” McLaughlin said.
Andrews left
Lueschen was named interim water department following the departure of Ed Andrews, who resigned in early December, according to McLaughlin. He had served in the role since September 2023. Lueschen had served as the city’s assistant water director.
