Water Curtailment Alert
As of July 15, 2021, until further notice, the City of Molalla has issued a Stage 1 Water Alert for its customers due to ongoing drought conditions. The City requests voluntary reduction of all water use. Outside watering will only be permitted for even addresses on even dates and odd addresses on odd dates. No watering is allowed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Washing of paved surfaces is prohibited except for health and safety purposes. Other restrictions apply. Further information is provided below in the table and FAQ sheet. Listed below is the message that will be mailed out with this month's utility bills, look for that in your mail the week of August 2nd.
PUBLIC NOTICE: Response to Daily Reports Comparing Winter to Summer Use
The daily announcement of water usage that is posted compares water usage numbers to winter numbers, not previous summer numbers. Here is why:
The comparison given in winter time numbers is to inform users that in the winter, when no irrigation is required and no restrictions on use is imposed, the community as a whole uses about 827,000 gallons of water per day. Comparing this summers use to last summer’s use wouldn’t provide any beneficial information, if the question is what amount of water does the community need to survive under ‘normal’ conditions. When using the winter numbers as a base point, it is clear that community irrigation is consuming about 30% to 80% more water than what is needed for drinking water purposes. The intent was to set a target to work back down towards so that we could remain in voluntary reductions or come out of curtailment altogether.
As expected, the heavy rains we received over the weekend have led to the Molalla River recovering from a long dry summer. Due to this we will be officially lifting water curtailment in Molalla. The graph below shows the dramatic recovery.
I would like to add that this community has been amazing throughout this summer conserving water. Following a great weekend celebrating Molalla, it is a nice reprieve.
Our community has taken mindful steps to use water wisely this summer and into the fall season and we want to thank you for all your efforts.
Together we have achieved an excellent result: Total usage for yesterday, Sunday September 12th, was 983,600 gallons. That is compared with a daily average of 1,267,213 gallons last September, and marks the first time September Daily Usage has dropped below 1 million gallons in many years. Thank you!
Image attached: Rain on the windshields of public works vehicles this morning is a welcome sight.
Yesterday (8/23) the City used 1,137,200 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,061,000 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,147,071 gallons.
Please conserve water.
Yesterday (8/19) the City used 1,218,600 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,223,800 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,231,014.29 gallons. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 2 days of storage.
Please conserve water.
Yesterday (8/17) the City used 1,160,900 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,239,300 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,285,528.57 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station, which was recalibrated the week of August 9th, is flowing at 50.4 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 49.33 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 2 days of storage.
Yesterday (8/16) the City used 1,239,300 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,115,000 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,316,143 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station, which was recalibrated the week of August 9th, is flowing at 46.8 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 49.67 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 2 days of storage. NOTE: The average water usage for last winter (Nov 2020 thru Feb 2021) was approximately 827,000 gallons of Drinking Water per day.
Yesterday (8/15) the City used 1,115,000 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,198,500 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,321,986 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station, which was recalibrated the week of August 9th, is flowing at 49 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 50.9 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 2 days of storage. NOTE: The average water usage for last winter (Nov 2020 thru Feb 2021) was approximately 827,000 gallons of Drinking Water per day.
Molalla Water Curtailment Update - 8/12/21 at 8:00 AM. Yesterday (8/11) the City used 1,442,000 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,375,200 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,280,114 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 68 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 68.28 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity.
Molalla Water Curtailment Update - 8/11/21 at 8:00 AM. Yesterday (8/10) the City used 1,375,200 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,280,200 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,260,600 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 67 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 68.64 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity.
Molalla Water Curtailment Update - 8/9/21 at 8:00 AM. Yesterday (8/8) the City used 1,141,200 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,208,600 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,225,800 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 72 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 69.1 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity.
Question – What level of CFS doesn't provide for the water tanks being full or being able to run at capacity?
Yesterday (8/4) the City used 1,274,000 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,305,400 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,267,557 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 68 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 72.45 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Note: Water rates have not been increased. Utility customers may not see a reduction in the water usage portion of their July utility bill. Those customers who have chosen to voluntarily conserve water usage will see a reduction on their September utility bill. The City Council requested voluntary water conservation on the evening of July 14, 2021. Water meters were read on July 22, 2021. This short timeline most likely would not show up on your July bill. If a customer’s usage has been less since July 19th or 20th, then that reduction will appear on their August bill.
Yesterday (8/2) the City used 1,273,000 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,138,800 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,266,127 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 70 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 74.64 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
We have been asked how the water flow compares to past years, so below is the information for the current year as well as the previous 5 years:
July 2021 43.36 Million Gallons
July 2020 49.02 Million Gallons
July 2019 52.60 Million Gallons
July 2018 53.60 Million Gallons
July 2017 51.20 Million Gallons
Yesterday (8/1) the City used 1,138,800 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,194,200 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,295,999 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 75 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 75.12 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/27) the City used 1,353,700 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,333,800 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,306,956 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 78 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 77.47 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/28) the City used 1,333,800 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,236,394 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,302,156 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 75 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 78.63 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/27) the City used 1,236,394 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,333,000 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,298,913 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 75 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 80.02 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/26) the City used 1,333,000 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,482,100 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,302,292 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 75 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 81.84 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/25) the City used 1,482,100 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,103,000 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,297,846 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 80 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 83.72 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/21) the City used 1,269,250 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,311,100 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,270,370 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 82 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 90.04 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/21) the City used 1,311,100 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,260,045 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,278,956 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 82 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 90.79 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/20) the City used 1,260,046 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,236,205 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,312,313 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 87 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 92.50 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/19) the City used 1,236,205 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,252,005 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,387,621 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 85 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. The Molalla River 7 day average is 94.92 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
Yesterday (7/18) the City used 1,252,005 gallons of Drinking Water. This figure compares to the 1,242,570 gallons used the previous day. Average usage over the past 7 days is 1,414,201 gallons. The Molalla River at Canby Gauge Station is flowing at 90 cfs (cubic feet per second) this morning. Molalla River 7 day average is 97.37 cfs. The Water Tanks are full, providing roughly 3,000,000 gallons of storage, and the plant is able to run at full capacity. This means the City is able to meet domestic water (drinking water) demands at this time.
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Supporting Documents
Water Curtailment Insert (57 KB) Water Curtailment FAQ Sheet (246 KB) Water Curtailment Table (57 KB) 
