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The Linden Utility Board approved the Emergency Water Conservation Plan during their May 21 meeting, which details steps to be taken should a water shortage ever take place.

It consists of five phases, with the first being solely comprised of customer requirements including that swimming pools or fountains may not be cleaned, filled or maintained with municipal water unless it is part of a recycling system and no turf areas such as lawns or landscapes may be watered or irrigated.

Each subsequent phase sees the same requirements in addition to limiting a property’s water use based on the water use rate during the same month of the previous calendar year. The water use rate for new customers will be calculated by the city based on similar properties. Each phase applies stricter water use limitations, with Phase 2 introducing a 90 percent limit and Phase 5 a 75 percent limit.

The Phase 1 requirements are not applicable to the city if necessary for public health and safety or for essential government services such as the police and fire departments.

“It’s just something we have in case of low water,” Utility Clerk Ashley Drake said.

The board also approved the Municipal Water Pollution Prevention Program, which is a yearly report sent to ADEM that lists actions and precautions taken by the city in order to prevent water pollution.

To comply, the board pledged to continue to provide training to utility employees, as well as commence retraining and recruit qualified employees.

During the water report for April, Public Works Supervisor Wallace Walker said that because a water tank was painted during the month which accounts for some of the water loss, as well as a valve being loosened to let water out in order to decrease water pressure.