The city of Wichita says they are now in Stage 1 of their drought response plan.
The city has four stages of drought response, dependent on the conservation pool level at Cheney Lake. Stage 1 of the plan is met when the 12-month moving average of the lake level reaches 89%.
The city is implementing conservation measures internally and is asking residents to do the same. Beginning Wednesday, Wichita's 2023 water rebate program becomes active, with a total of $150 thousand in rebates available. Penny Feist with the city says that over $1.5 million in rebates have been approved for more than 15 thousand water saving units, saving the city an estimated 466 million gallons of water since 2013.
If you purchase or install an approved water efficient device or appliance, like a new washing machine or dishwasher, you can receive a one-time credit of $100 on your water bill.
For more information on the program, go to the city's site.
When the new Northwest Wichita water treatment facility comes on-line in a couple of years, the city will be able to receive its water entirely from either Cheney Lake or the groundwater source from the Equus water beds. Having the ability to use 100% groundwater will give the community a drought-resistant water supply should the lake level drop too low. Currently, the city must use a blend of water from the two sources.
