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Editorial
Welcome rains don't resolve water issues
Monday, July 9, 2012
It's amazing how quickly things green up and outlooks improve when it rains after a long, hot, dry spell. McCook officially received 1.46 by Sunday morning, but we've heard unofficial reports of 2 to more than 3 inches in the area.
We hadn't heard from the City of McCook yet this morning, but officials will probably lift the Water Warning they imposed Friday, a status spelled out in the municipal code that prohibits outside watering from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., once water usage is greater than 41⁄2 million gallons for five days in a row.
Get caught, and you could be issued written warning and get an additional fee on your water bill, according to Municipal Code 52.63.
We're not out of the woods, of course; McCook has still officially received 6.15 inches less than normal for the year, and while July is traditionally the rainiest month, that amounts to an average of only 3.31 inches of rain.
It's been nice to have a break, but with 90-degree temperatures and little rain expected the rest of the week, don't be surprised if we hear from the water department again, soon.
And, it's a good reminder of the need to deal with water issues, whether we're taking a bath, watering the lawn or creating public policy.