Late Sunday evening Lincoln entered a mandatory water restriction limiting water usage of Lincoln residents by 50 percent.

According to Lincoln Water System, on the evening of Sunday, March 17, Lincoln Water System experienced a temporary loss of pressure from a producing wellfield to the water treatment plant. The issue was isolated, and water production has been partially restored.

While in the mandatory water restriction, commercial car washes were shut down, water served at restaurants or drinking establishments were request only, restaurants, liquor establishments and institutions used disposable place settings and cups, retailers, suppliers and manufacturers were contacted to provide increased supplies of bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages, and air-conditioning using Lincoln Water System sources was prohibited.

“When I learned about the conservation regulation I wasn’t necessarily scared, but it did force me to examine how much water I use on a daily basis,” junior Milana Doné said. “I realized how much water waste I have and even though the mandatory ban is now voluntary, I still am going to try to limit my water usage.”

There are many ways students can conserve water. Taking shorter showers, using water bottles to reduce the number of dishes having to be washed or wearing clothes a couple of times before washing to reduce the number of loads of laundry.

“There are some easy ways my family is conserving water,” junior Kallie Harford said. “We use disposable plates at dinner, cut loads of laundry and we even went to Super Saver late Monday night to get a couple cases of water bottles before they ran out.”

Some students who are adapted to the new regulations easier than others.

“Conserving water is hard for me,” junior Maddie Nelson said. “I now have to cut my usual 45-minute shower to 15 minutes which I sometimes struggle doing.”

Since the restriction was for all citizens of Lincoln, both students and staff were affected and finding themselves doing similar things in order to conserve water.

“One thing I do is, while brushing my teeth, shut the water off,” Mr. Scott Vampola said. “I also reduce the number of dishes I wash and I haven’t been able to wash my car. I probably will not be able to for a while since all of the car washes were temporarily shut down.”

The mandatory water restriction ended Tuesday evening and Lincoln entered a voluntary water use restriction where citizens are not forced to abide by these restrictions but still encouraged to conserve water.