The company was hopeful that predicted rainfall alongside voluntary conservation efforts would help restore the water supply, but less than one inch of rain has fallen in the area since Sept. 1, 2023, and there is a 12-inch deficit on the year.
“The weather patterns have been frustrating to watch, consistently skirting the watershed, or evaporating before reaching it. Despite the public’s response to our voluntary restriction requests, this has not resulted in sufficient reduced water demand on our system,” JT Hand, President and CEO of The York Water Company, said in a statement.
“In spite of our efforts to pump over 11 million gallons per day from the Susquehanna River to our Lake Redman Reservoir, our water supply is in decline,” Hand said.
The use of any water that is not necessary to serve essential health, safety, or economic needs, including the maintenance of human, animal, and plant life.