Water department asks Burlington and Colchester residents to limit water use

Burlington officials continue to monitor water levels after the city issued its first water conservation notice this year asking residents to “limit non-essential water usage” and “delay other important water-intensive tasks.”

Sent by email and posted online , the alert went out Tuesday after the water in a Colchester tank fell 2 feet below the minimum desired water level by midday, according to Chapin Spencer, the city’s director of public works.

While that may not sound like a lot, Spencer said it is important to maintain high levels in the water tanks because the 7 million gallon reservoir and its tanks serve the University of Vermont and UVM Medical Center’s Level 1 trauma center — in addition to other city residents and businesses.

“So we clearly need to make sure we’re able to s