Overview
- Ripley’s reservoir is about 7 to 10 feet below normal and operating near 40% to 50% capacity, the lowest level seen locally in a decade.
- Fire departments are trucking water from North East, Pennsylvania to the reservoir, delivering about 100,000 gallons daily to supplement the system serving roughly 1,800 customers.
- Authorities report the tap water is safe, and conservation has cut local use from about 150,000 gallons a day to roughly 100,000.
- Town leaders scheduled bottled-water distribution at the Ripley highway building off Ross Street on Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Chautauqua County remains under a drought warning, and Fredonia has ordered conservation as it pursues a $17.5 million plan to join the North County Water District that faces a push for a voter referendum.