Ridgewood Water Urges Customers to Stop Outside Watering

Saying "he's never seen anything like this," Ridgewood Water Director Frank Moritz pleaded with residents to obey water restrictions.

Speaking before Village Council at Wednesday night's meeting, Moritz reemphasized that all outdoor watering—including hoses and sprinklers—is prohibited due to the Stage IV water restrictions. Police and staff drove through the village last night ensuring compliance.

"I have 25 people out [enforcing the policy]. The message is out there, compliance is not," Moritz said.

Stemming from the heat wave, a lack of rainfall and unexpected consumption following the Independence Day holiday, Village Manager Dr. Kenneth Gabbert issued the water restriction Tuesday. Usually, the utility incrementally goes from Stage I to the most critical, Stage IV. This maneuver was unprecedented, Moritz said.

"There was no time for odd or even water days... It exceeded our expectations," he said.

During shortages, the village has an agreement with United Water to help meet the demand. However, Moritz said United Water was "totally incapable of supplying what they said it would."

The village alerted Ridgewood Water customers through website postings, police announcements via electronic signs and megaphones, and the Reverse 911 system. After March's boil water advisory where several residents said they weren't notified in a timely manner, the village attempted to step up its communication. In the process, some residents were called several times.

"We apologize for robotic calls that people may get. Sometimes there's an overlap. Our system's not perfect, and neither are we," Mayor Keith Killion said.

Project Pride President Gary Cirillo said his group planted shrubbery over the weekend and would have postponed it had there been warning.

"People don't have to water their grass—that comes back. But for shrubbery, you need water," he sad.

No timetable exists for an easing of restrictions. Moritz said as the village "starts to recover, we'll meet with the village manager and develop regulations."