If it's yellow, let it mellow.

That's the city's motto, at least until Sunday.

Concern over the status of Casper's main wastewater screw pump Wednesday caused city officials to ask Casper residents to reduce waste water production by waiting to do laundry and dishes, and by flushing toilets less frequently.

Thanks to some residents who "take (water conservation) personally," Casper's remaining wastewater pumps are still holding up, said city administrative analyst Peter Meyers.

"Overall, everything seems to be going fine as far as that's concerned," Meyers said. "We're optimistic that things will be fine through the weekend, especially with cooperation from area citizens with water reduction."

And while a crack in pump No. 3, the pump currently running, hasn't worsened, a few smaller supplemental pumps have been installed "to take a little pressure off the main system," Meyers said. Heavy rains may be partly to blame for damage to the 25-year-old pump.

Because of the supplemental pumps, Meyers said, the city doesn't know exactly how much wastewater Casper area residents and businesses are producing.

"We're having a lot of trouble as far as measuring it," he said. "We think there's less water being used, but it's hard to say by how much. But we have gotten a lot of indication from the public that people are participating in water-saving."

Formerly controlled by a joint powers board, day-to-day operations of the Central Wyoming Regional Water System are now run by the city. The Casper Public Utilities advisory board oversees the system, which is shared by Casper, Mills, Evansville and unincorporated areas of the county.

A second advisory board, the 201 Management Oversight Committee, sets some policies for the treatment plant and treatment system. With two members from Casper and five from other parts of the county, the board allows equal input from everyone who uses the regional system, Meyers said.

Pump No. 3 will receive help by Sunday, Meyers said, when auxiliary pumps arrive from Seattle. The pumps, which are custom designed, don't have an exact expiration date, Meyers said, so this situation would have been almost impossible to predict.

"It's difficult to pin it down precisely. We know they're going to last for a few decades, and they have," he said. "The pumps get worn down from constant use. Repairing them really isn't an option, and that's why we're going to replace them."

Despite rumors, Meyers reassured residents that the potable - drinking - water supply hasn't been affected by the recent breakdown.

"Even if we did have a leak, the water would still be fine," he said. "It won't be affected by that."

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0589 or megan.lee@trib.com

News Tracker

Last we knew: A crack in the screw pump No. 3 at Casper's wastewater treatment plant led city officials to ask the community to restrict its water usage.

The latest: City officials think that with installation of supplemental pumps, the situation may not lead to a leak of wastewater into the North Platte River.

What's next: Auxiliary pumps will be installed by Sunday. These should keep the wastewater plant running until permanent replacement pumps are installed in October.

Breakout: What you can do

Casper residents can help the city avoid contamination of the North Platte River by reducing water waste, said Gary Clough, public services department director.

"Each person might not think their six, 10 or 20 gallons doesn't make a difference, but if you take all the homes in Casper, it does," Clough said.

To reduce your water waste between now and Sunday:

*Delay any laundry or dish-washing until Sunday. If you must do either chore, wait to do them between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. when the water flows are the lowest.

*Use paper plates and plastic utensils to avoid having any dirty dishes.

*Avoid draining hot tubs or pools

*Take showers instead of baths and keep showers brief.

*Try to use the toilet several times between flushing

*Check your toilet for leaks and fix any problems.

For more information on what you can do, contact the public services department at (307) 235-8341.

Breakout: Downstream

Casper's drinking water wouldn't be affected by a wastewater leak into the North Platte River. But what about those towns downstream?

Dave Andrews, public works director for Glenrock, said a leak would not bother Glenrock. The town uses groundwater, and the groundwater supply is located far from the river.

"There would be no effect on the municipal water supply," Andrews said. "Casper is doing everything possible to minimize the negative impact."

The only people who may be affected in a leakage situation would be those outside of a municipality who may have wells near the river. Those people, he said, would need to use necessary precautions or discontinue use of wells until the effluent passes.

Douglas wouldn't be affected either, in part because of good timing, said Bobbe Fitzhugh, an administrator for the city of Douglas. A new Douglas water treatment plant will open on June 9, in time for irrigation season, and all water will be groundwater until then.

"As long as there's not an uncontrolled discharge from Casper on or after that date we should be OK," she said. "But if nothing else, this could be an environmental issue we should be concerned about."