DAVIESS CO., KY (WFIE) -
The East and West Daviess County Water Districts, as well as the town of Whitesville, continue to ask residents to voluntarily conserve water for non-essential use.
Water levels are creeping back up, but officials say with farmers needing to irrigate, it's still necessary to conserve.
"We've got a hundred acres of tobacco and of course we won't be able to do everything," said Daviess County farmer Randle Stephen.
It takes 27,000 gallons of water on one acre to equal one inch of rain.
Stephen says his tobacco has a lot of catching up to do.
"If it stays dry, we'll run it all summer until it gets blooming," Stephen said.
Stephen is just one of many farmers struggling to grow their crops and have to use more water than normal to avoid losing their yields.
"We'll do what we can. It's really expensive to buy all this equipment," Stephen said.
But because of the increased irrigation from farmers and residents this summer, it's causing water plants to work double time.
"If we get above capacity, you lose water into your high areas and unable to give people adequate pressure and liquid flow," said William Higdon, with the West Daviess County Water District.
So to avoid any problems, Higdon is asking everyone to conserve as much water as possible and avoid washing cars, watering plants, and filling pools.
"We think some of the people have been conserving because we've been able to cut the amount of pumping time back," Higdon.
Although an additional pump has pushed capacity to 20%, so far, folks are still encouraged to still use less water.
"This way with the drip tape you don't lose as much evaporation," Stephen said.
At least until the hot weather breaks.
Muhlenberg County has also asked residents to voluntarily conserve water.
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