For the first time in more than 20 years, Baltimore City has had to call upon the Susquehanna River to supplement its water supply.
Persistent drought conditions have caused water elevations to dip “well-below normal” at the Prettyboy and Loch Raven reservoirs. The current water elevation at Prettyboy Reservoir is 494.77 feet and 235.79 feet, according to the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW).
The Baltimore Service Area, which includes Baltimore City and parts of surrounding county areas, is under a “drought watch,” during which period the goal is the reduce water usage by 5-10%. Some parts of Baltimore County and neighboring jurisdictions, however, are under a “drought warning” in which that goal is a 10-15% reduction of water usage, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment’s website.
To alleviate the strain on these reservoirs, about 30 million gallons of water will be withdrawn each day from the Susquehanna River. That water will travel about 39 miles from the river to the Montebello Water Treatment Plants.
“The Susquehanna water has a higher total suspended solids content compared to the reservoir water,” DPW told Baltimore Fishbowl.
That’s why the first step will be to direct the Susquehanna River water to the wash lake at the Montebello filtration plants to flush sediment before the water undergoes the blending and treatment process.
Water customers on the Montebello system – including residents in eastern Baltimore City and Baltimore County, mostly east of Interstate 83 – will receive a blend of treated Susquehanna River water and city water.
The Susquehanna water will comprise about 20% to 40% of the water flowing out of these customers’ taps.
The Susquehanna River stretches 444 miles from Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York; through Pennsylvania; and empties into the Chesapeake Bay in Havre de Grace, Maryland. It is the longest river on the east coast of the United States.
Multiple other municipalities along the river’s route source their water from the Susquehanna, such as Binghamton, New York, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Baltimore City expects changes in taste, odor, and color of residents’ water to be minimal if any at all. Baltimore residents who do experience an unusual change in their water are advised to report it to 311. Residents outside of the city should call 443-263-2220 to report water changes.
The normal water elevation at each reservoir varies throughout the year, and the water elevations are typically at their lowest this time of the year, DPW said.
But those levels will have to return to normal elevations before the city can stop withdrawing water from the Susquehanna River.
Baltimore City and Baltimore County have issued voluntary water restrictions, urging residents to conserve water whenever possible.
Voluntary steps residents can take include avoiding water their lawns and gardens; avoiding washing cars, boats, and outdoor surfaces; repairing leaking faucets, hoses, and fixtures; waiting until your dishwasher and washing machines are full before you run them; taking shorter showers; and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth.
DPW does not anticipate mandatory restrictions at this time. However, the agency is continuing to assess the situation to determine next steps.
The last time Baltimore City instituted mandatory restrictions was in the early 2000s.
