City of Wentzville encourages residents to save water

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WENTZVILLE, Mo. — The state of Missouri is under a drought alert.

The City of Wentzville is taking steps to make sure its prepared during dry conditions by encouraging residents to split up weekly lawn watering.

The plan asks odd numbered addresses to water on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and even numbered addresses to water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It also encourages spot watering with a can or hose to last less than 30 minutes a day for plants and dry spots.

"We're noticing a lot if increase in lawn irrigation watering, particularly in the last two weeks," Wentzville's Public Works Director Susan Spiegel said. "We're wanting to be proactive and help our residents get ahead of this."

This voluntary plan is in effect until September 5, and the city will adjust it based on feedback and the weather.

"Really it's been 10 years since, here in Wentzville, we've experienced the dry conditions we're seeing right now," Spiegel said.

This is step one of what Spiegel said will likely be a three-prong plan. The next two steps will include putting more information on the city's website about watering during dormant conditions, in addition to other lawn care tips.

Ryan Smith owns and operates the Lucky Dog Farm with his wife in Wentzville. Their farm is market-style where they grow produce, raise chicken and pigs, and retail products to the Wentzville community.

"We are fairly well suited to irrigating most of our crops, we are on a private well," Smith said.

Farmers like Smith are used to fighting drought-like conditions.

"A lot of our crops, as we're in a greenhouse here, are excluded from rainwater anyways, so we are always irrigating," he said.

But his farm is still one of many places in Wentzville fighting to beat the heat.

"I think we're probably going on close to a month without a drop of rain over here. So, my well pump has probably been running for close to two weeks now," he said.

He sees the need for a balance in watering, like what the city is suggesting.

"The grass all around the farm is definitely showing signs of drought and stress," he said of his own farm.

He hopes the sun will still shine, but that some raindrops will fall, too.

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