T-L Photos/GAGE VOTA St. Clairsville Mayor Kathryn Thalman shows her dog Sammy that the reservoir is rapidly depleting due to the recent drought.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Dry weather conditions are taking a toll on one local water supply.

Ohio as a whole has experienced one of the most intense droughts in recent memory this year. In response to the drought that began in mid-June, Ohio Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon issued a burn ban for Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Licking, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington counties. “We want everyone to think before you do something involving any kind of open flame,” Reardon said in a release. “We are in severe drought conditions and ground conditions are very susceptible to ignition from a very simple source. We want people to be able to protect themselves, protect their property, and protect their communities.”

Reardon’s order prohibits any open burning of trash, debris, waste, combustibles, leaf piles or similar vegetation, campfires and bonfires,throwing down or discarding lit or smoldering material such as matches or cigarettes, using or discharging any type of fireworks, live-fire training events, flame effects-based displays or exhibitions including sky lanterns and cold spark machines.”

But fire dangers aren’t the only concerns associated with the extended drought conditions, since water supplies also have been affected.

The St. Clairsville Reservoir is being depleted of water due to the lack of rain. City Service Director Scott Harvey said that in his 10 years of working for the city, this is the lowest water level he has seen at the reservoir. He added that although the current level is alarming, he’s been informed by other longtime city employees that there were two extended periods of time in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the reservoir was lower than it currently is.

“The level that it’s out now is alarming, but it has been worse,” Harvey said.

The primary source of drinking water for the city is the main reservoir, but the city actually has three options for providing water. In addition to the main reservoir, the city has the Provident Reservoir as well as the option to purchase water from the Belmont County Water and Sewer District, which draws its water from wells.

“We have two reservoirs. Our main reservoir, that’s our first choice. As that water gets exhausted, as it is now, we’ll pump over from our second reservoir, which is the Provident Reservoir. It’s not as big as our main, but it refills quicker,” Harvey said. “What we do is we pump the water from that reservoir through a pumpline all the way across town into our main reservoir to help provide water to our main reservoir.”

He added that the city has an agreement with the county to use county water as needed, but the city uses roughly 600,000 gallons of water daily.

“We have an agreement with them that we can take in 200,000 gallons of water a day to supplement our low reservoir,” Harvey said.

He believes that about 35% of the water currently being used daily by the city is being purchased from the county. The water purchased from the county already has been treated and is ready to drink, so the water gets pumped directly from the county’s tap to the city’s water towers.

“As we take their water on, we save what we’re using out of our own reservoirs. That way we’ve been able to stretch our supply. At current rates, even with no more rain we’d still be OK for about three to four weeks,” Harvey said.

If the drought were to last another three to four weeks, the city has the capability to purchase more water from the county but the county would have to restructure its distribution center to provide more water to the city. He added that if the city had to purchase the additional water, it would have to issue a conservation order to the residents of St. Clairsville.

“As of right now we are sending out no messaging as far as conservation, but that’s something that could come. We’re asking people to be responsible and save as much water as they can,” Harvey said.