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Lincoln mayor calls for mandatory water conservation

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler is telling residents to conserve water as a precautionary measure after levee failures near the city's well fields led to some power outages.

"The good news is that because of a strong emergency plan and redundancy in the system, we are still producing water for the community. We should be able to come close to maintaining our daily water needs during this time of year," Beutler said. "However, flood waters are unpredictable and we need to take every precaution to make sure our supply of water can continue to meet demand. That's why I am ordering the initiation of the minimum level of water restrictions."

Until further notice, water use in Lincoln should be restricted to indoor use only, a press release from the City of Lincoln says. Mike Esposito, Director of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, asks residents to cut water use by 25 percent. Residents should also postpone laundry and dish washing, refrain from watering lawns and washing cars, and take shorter showers. Restaurants are advised to only serve water upon request.

Esposito reminds Lincoln residents that the water quality is not impacted by the flooding and that drinking water is safe. The entire water supply continues to be monitored.