Published: October 10, 2007 01:41 pm         

Water Crisis

Water sources drying up in Mount Savage

MOUNT SAVAGE - Tankers from various volunteer fire companies shuttled water here Wednesday to offset the town's dwindling water supply.

"The reservoir on Bald Knob holds 15 feet of water. We're down to 5 feet now and the springs aren't running at all," said Dan Williams, president of the Mount Savage Water Company, as he was connecting hose line at the reservoir site.

Williams said the 110,000-gallon reservoir level stood at about 35,000 gallons as of late Wednesday morning.

"We're dropping about a foot to a foot and a half a day," said Williams.

Tankers were tapping into a hydrant in Motor City to take thousands of gallons of water from the city of Cumberland water system and replenish the Mount Savage water distribution system.

On a positive note, Williams said a 65,000-gallon reservoir at Calla Hill that is fed by a couple of wells is "holding its own."

District 16 Volunteer Fire Company began hauling water into Mount Savage after Allegany County gave permission for water to be transported there, according to a dispatcher at the Allegany County 911 Joint Communications Division. Other volunteer companies were expecting to join in the water shuttle operation later in the day.

"It happens quite often throughout the year," Mark Yoder, utilities division chief for public works, said with regard to the Mount Savage water problem.

After Mount Savage requests water, the county gives permission for it to be hauled there. "We buy our water from the city. As a courtesy, we tell Cumberland we're going to do it," Yoder said, adding that city officials don't mind. County officials notify the city because hauling the water will cause county - and therefore city - usage to increase.

Cumberland National Weather Service observer Tim Thomas said Tuesday evening's rainfall totaled .17 inch.

Thomas said the last significant rainfall in Cumberland occurred Sept. 27-28 when a half-inch of rain fell in the city.

Cumberland's precipitation deficit at the end of September was 1.25 inches below the year's average. The National Weather Service forecast did not include any measurable precipitation in the near future.

Other fire companies that assisted in the water shuttle operation were Mount Savage,

Ellerslie, Baltimore Pike, Eastern Garrett and Wellersburg, Pa.

Jeffrey Alderton can be reached at jlalderton@times-news.com.