Water cutbacks for both public and private sectors

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - This week, all of Indiana went under a water shortage warning with state officials asking high-volume users of water to reduce their use by 10 to 15 percent. 

If drought conditions worsen, the governor could declare an emergency and make mandatory limits.  For now, public and private consumers are cutting back so that doesn't happen.

This summer, sprinklers have been working seven nights a week to keep up the emerald waves of grass at Purdue University.  Usually it only takes five.  After this week's water shortage warning, Grounds Director Gary Evans said they have been cut back to three nights.

"We're using just enough water," Evans said.

Of the almost 1,200 acres on campus that grounds crews maintain, Evans said only about 250 have irrigation equipment.  Much of that is focused on the more visible and picturesque areas of campus, meaning more than 75 percent of campus has brown grass.

But grounds specialists aren't worried.  The grass is only dormant and will come back to life when the rains come back.  Watering around campus is now focused on flowers and new turf that can't take the harsh conditions.

"We want to walk that fine line between using enough water to protect our investments and our landscapes and our turf, but also to conserve wherever we can in this time where everybody is being asked to cut back," Evans said.

Tate and Lyle is one of the county's largest users of water, which is used in cooling and other production processes. 

Vice President of Communications and Government Relations Chris Olsen said the company works to conserve water every day, but the drought has heightened that conservation.  An effort is currently underway to double-check each part of the process to make sure water isn't being wasted.

"We're always concerned about the global supply of water and energy to run our plants," Olsen said.  "We're focused on using and conserving as many gallons as we can so that we can help prevent any sort of mandatory restrictions."

Evans said it's possible Purdue can cut back even more, but he's hoping three nights a week will be enough so the green can continue to wave peacefully for the gold and black.

"We have to be good stewards of the university's facilities," Evans said.

Purdue groundskeepers have gotten some extra help this year.  The University recently installed a $150,000 computerized and automated system that's estimated to save countless man hours and 18 million gallons of water a year.