In a split vote, the Wichita City Council has approved some changes in the city’s Drought Response Plan to determine when any mandatory water conservation measures might be needed.

Public Works Director Gary Janzen said the plan was adopted in 2013, but significant steps have been taken since then to improve the city’s resiliency to drought, and the changes would allow those measures to be considered by the City Manager with staff input.

The city is currently in Stage One of the plan, which calls for voluntary conservation measures.  Janzen said the city has taken a number of internal steps to conserve water, with rebate programs for water-saving appliances and different tiers of water rates to encourage conservation.    He said the city’s new water treatment plant in northwest Wichita is projected to go online in April, 2025, and that will be a “game-changer” in providing some flexibility for addressing the drought.

Janzen emphasized that this is not a decision to move to Stage Two of the drought plan, which would put mandatory restrictions on outdoor watering by homes and businesses.  He said it’s not certain when Stage Two will be implemented.

Cheney Reservoir and the Equus Beds aquifer are the two sources for Wichita’s water, and the city has been using a 50-50 mix.  Janzen said the city may lean more toward the Equus Beds because of the lower levels at Cheney.   He said the city’s aquifer recharge efforts have kept the Equus Beds at a higher level.

Janzen said because of the conservation steps that have been taken since 2013, it is not prudent to consider the water level at Cheney as the only trigger for moving to mandatory restrictions.

Some Council members were concerned about making changes in the response plan.   Mike Hoheisel said water is too important to put off the difficult choices that will be needed. The Council voted 4 to 3 to approve the changes, with Hoheisel, Dalton Glasscock and Maggie Ballard voting no.