(Press Release – City of Havre)
The City of Havre is under a NON-ESSENTIAL WATER USE BAN (HAND WATERING ONLY) effective immediately until conditions change.
Why is this ban going into effect?
The Havre Water Treatment Plant cannot produce enough water to meet the demands of non-essential water use during hot and dry drought conditions. These conditions are expected to worsen along the Milk River Basin with the water supply constraints of the St. Mary Diversion siphon failure until the end of 2025. Hill County is under abnormally dry drought conditions at this time by the US Drought Monitor/National Drought Mitigation Center.
The non-essential water use ban is for the protection of the Havre community for drinking water, fire suppression, and health & sanitation essential water supply. The City of Havre water supply is at risk of losing pressure if non-essential water use continues. If the drinking water system does not meet DEQ Circular-1 pressure requirements, then a DO NOT CONSUME order will be issued.
What are non-essential water uses?
Non-essential water uses include watering lawn grass, filling swimming pools and other water recreation devices, washing hard surfaces like driveways or sidewalks, vehicles, and other activities that do not protect health and safety. Hand watering (not with sprinklers) of gardens, trees planted in 2024, and sod that was installed after 20 June 2024 is permitted under conservative water use.
