The City of Bloomington has exited a moderate drought period after weeks of precipitation.
A wetter-than-normal March improved water levels at the city's two reservoirs, Lakes Bloomington and Evergreen, which rose more than three feet in recent weeks.
The combined lake deficit was 6.4 feet on Thursday morning. That's a big improvement from the 10-foot deficit that triggered City Manager Jeff Jurgens to issue a water conservation proclamation in February urging residents and businesses to cut back on use.
The region had been experiencing moderate and severe drought conditions throughout the fall and winter.
The city revoked the proclamation on March 20 and said additional recent rain "allows us to move out of the Moderate Drought phase.
“Across our region, communities faced similar drought conditions, and while we expected the rains, it’s a relief to finally see our reservoirs begin to recover," Jurgens said in a statement. "It was a stressful beginning to 2026, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to our residents and businesses for their proactive water conservation efforts.”
Bloomington Water Director Brett Lueschen encourages residents and businesses to "continue using water wisely to help maintain the health of our reservoirs and ensure a sustainable future for our community."
In a recent interview with WGLT, Lueschen said the city is beginning to look for ways to expand its water supply beyond the two lakes to accommodate population growth.
The city is also working to resolve a 30% loss rate, with about 3 million gallons per day going untracked. Jurgens previously said the city's aging treatment and distribution system has contributed to a 10% higher water loss than most municipalities.
Rain is in the forecast through Saturday.
