Lake Forest Bans Sprinkler Systems, Irrigation Watering

has placed a ban on the use of outside irrigation and lawn sprinkling systems until further notice as the city continues to grapple with being unable to meet high water demand against the current drought.

According to a release issue by the City Thursday, typical water usage for daily use requires approximately 3 to 4 million gallons of water each day Lake Forest. Currently, the City is continuing to pump more than 12 million gallons per day.

The City has its emergency inter-connects open and is receiving water from the and is still not able to meet the water demands.

According to the release, the water filtration plant is at a point where it can no longer meet this demand. If water storage continues to fall throughout Thursday, the City will experience significant pressure reductions in its water main system, which would require a boil order to residents for all potable water (laundry, shower, cooking, drinking, etc.).

Lake Bluff has been able to avoid water restrictions because it purchases its water from the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency (JAWA). According to the village, JAWA supplies 30 million gallons per day to 10 municipalities, and the plant has the capacity to filter and produce 40 million gallons per day.

Water usage in Lake Bluff and other JAWA communities has declined in the  few years as the economy slowed, the housing market collapsed and landscape projects declined.

Lake Forest residents with questions are asked to contact John Gulledge, supervisor of Water and Sewer Utilities in the Public Works Department at (847) 810-3542.

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