LONGVIEW, Wash. — After a major electrical failure at a chlorine manufacturer in Longview, Wash. created a chlorine shortage across the Pacific Northwest, the city of Longview on Monday announced it will enter stage one of a water shortage emergency.
Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water and treat wastewater.
Westlake Chemicals in Longview supplies chlorine for most of the West Coast. The company is experiencing an electrical failure and is expected to be offline at least until the end of June to undergo repairs.
In the meantime, the city of Longview wants its residents and businesses to take the following measures:
- Restaurants are prohibited from serving water to customers except upon request.
- City water system users utilizing city water for irrigation shall conform to the following landscape-watering schedule: Even-numbered addresses water on even-numbered days and odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered days.
- Irrigation watering shall be allowed only between the hours of 4 a.m. - 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Customers shall be requested to use the minimum quantity of water needed to maintain landscapes in a healthy, nondormant condition.
- Use of salvaged water shall conform to these restrictions.
The following water uses are allowed under stage one:
- New Plantings. Newly planted flowers, plants, shrubbery, groundcover or trees may be hand watered any day of the week if the watering done is the minimum needed to sustain plant life.
- Commercial Nurseries: Commercial nurseries may water bedding plants on any day of the week between 4:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. if the plant is in a container pot of four inches or smaller; and if the temperature is 80 degrees or higher, and if the watering is done by hand; or if water waste by overspray and overflow is kept to a minimum, and if the watering done is the minimum needed to sustain plant life. This exception is allowed as plants in small containers experience higher rates of evaporation and may be unable to sustain life during warmer weather.
- For children, water may be used on any day of the week, including but not limited to hoses and sprinklers, to cool off children if the temperature is 80 degrees or higher and the children are actively involved in the water, the water activity is supervised, water waste by overspray and overflow is kept to a minimum, and the water use occurs no more than one hour per day. This exception is allowed as day care providers may be prohibited by the State Department of Health from using wading pools.
Last week, emergency officials in Oregon stressed that the state’s tap water remains clean and safe to drink, and the public may continue to regularly use water for drinking, cooking and bathing.
Oregon officials don’t expect any immediate changes to the water quality, but they will be monitoring potential changes. They will also be looking into alternatives to chlorine for disinfecting water.
Oregonians are asked to limit outdoor water use for things like watering lawns and filling swimming pools to extend the state’s chlorine supply.
RELATED: Yes, the lumber shortage is real
