Western Springs Mulls Water Restriction

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Western Springs is considering banning sprinkling of lawns and plants from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

"There is plenty of water in our wells, so people shouldn't be frightened that there's no water," Trustee Al Fink said at Monday's Village Board meeting. "It's more about how can we have our reverse osmosis plant not work as hard."

Anyone still could water their lawns outside the restricted hours. And children could still play under a sprinkler, Fink said.

Trustees noted a lot of water quickly evaporates during the hottest times of the day.

"I don't see too many people watering their lawns in the middle of the day anyway," Trustee James Tyrrell said.

Acting Village President Heidi Rudolph seemed supportive of the idea.

"It benefits our overall water system, giving it the chance to recover and replenish and not work as hard," she said.

Matthew Supert, the village's municipal services director, said the restriction would be more of a program of awareness.

"The vast majority aren't watering or sprinkling during these times," he said. "But I think our staff has observed some people who are."

No one objected to the idea. Trustees are expected to vote on the measure at a later meeting.