The city of Manitou Springs has asked residents to conserve water Tuesday through Thursday this week since recent rainfall has slowed water treatment.

French Creek, the city’s main water source, saw heavy runoff from unprecedented rain in the region last week. Resulting cloudiness and sediment in the water has slowed treatment, causing lower-than-adequate levels in the Mesa Storage Tank.

City spokesman Alex Trefry said this is a common issue that occurs during heavy rainfall; Manitou experiences it nearly every year, if not multiple times per year, Trefry said.

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Residents can conserve water by avoiding the following: running sprinklers, washing sidewalks or cars, or doing partial loads of laundry or dishes in the dishwasher.

Manitou Springs has its own water system sourced by French Creek, but its other water right is Fry-Ark project water: a transmountain diversion that collects in the Pueblo Reservoir. While Manitou Springs does not have a direct connection to this water, it can get deliveries through Colorado Springs Utilities.

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The city has already utilized Fry-Ark water during this rain event, but Trefry said it is not certain if the city will use more. “It just depends. There are a lot of factors,” he said.

Last week, a record 3.18 inches of rain fell in one day in Colorado Springs, bringing precipitation totals for a midweek storm to 3.77 inches, according to the National Weather Service — 3 inches more than normal for the whole month of May.

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