The city says water system operations have stabilized and the system has recovered, emphasizing there was no issue with water quality at any point.
SANDUSKY, Ohio — Water use restrictions for Sandusky and Erie County have been lifted after several days of winter-related challenges at the city’s water system.
The city said water system operations have stabilized and the system has recovered. There was no issue with water quality at any point, and the water remains safe to drink.
The restrictions were put in place earlier this week as crews worked to restore water flow at the Big Island Water Works plant, where heavy ice blocked intake pipes during extreme cold conditions. At the height of the issue, the city said it was not taking in new raw water and was relying on stored water at the plant while crews worked to break through the ice.
Residents and businesses in Sandusky and across Erie County were asked to reduce non-essential water use to help extend the available supply as conditions remained critical. City officials warned at the time that stored water could be exhausted if intake flow was not restored, though they emphasized water quality was not a concern.
With operations now stabilized, city manager John Orzech shared additional details, thanked city staff and partner agencies for their work and outlined next steps to strengthen the system moving forward.
City officials said cold weather is expected to continue and crews are closely monitoring conditions while continuing work on multiple backup options to help maintain reliable water flow.
“Thank you to our residents and businesses for conserving water and helping protect the system while crews worked to restore normal operations,” the city said in a Facebook post.