Officials: Conserve water

Shoals - A voluntary reduction in water use has been requested for all Colbert County residents as a result of water shortages throughout the county, officials said Friday.

The initial request is for one week, but that could be extended if the area cannot break free from the massive heat and drought.

Although some areas of the Shoals experienced brief relief from the weather conditions when a severe storm rolled through about 5 p.m. Friday, the problem remains critical in the region, weather officials said.

Friday's high temperature at the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals was 103, marking the 11th consecutive day of 100-plus temperatures.

A violent storm in Lawrence County knocked out a major power transformer, leaving thousands without electricity for much of the evening Friday.

The combination of heat and little rain has produced the water shortage, officials said.

The water systems in Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals, Spring Valley, Leighton, Littleville, Hawk Pride and Colbert County all joined Friday to ask residents to reduce their water use.

"This request is being made in hopes that mandatory restrictions and penalties might be avoided," the departments noted in a prepared statement.

They ask that water be used only for business use, public safety and health.

Specifically, the departments seek a reduction in landscape irrigation, no washing of vehicles at residential locations and careful monitoring of household water use.

The excessive heat has altered outdoor activities in some area school districts, too.

The schools are closely monitoring student practices, particularly for football and band. Restrictions on when those teams practice have been enforced in some cases.

School systems around the state received a memorandum from the state education department earlier this week cautioning school personnel to consider the extreme temperatures before scheduling practices during peak heat time.

On Thursday, school districts throughout Colbert County moved outdoor practices, mainly football and band, to 7 p.m.

Lauderdale County officials said their schools were holding football practices under sprinklers and allowing players to wear shorts instead of full gear.

Colbert County Assistant Superintendent Andy Bolding said his district will monitor the heat daily and make decisions on practice times, "always keeping in mind this heat advisory."

Brent Oliver, a certified athletic trainer at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, said water breaks are crucial every 15 minutes with a heat index well above 100 degrees.

"When the temperature is that high, the body doesn't regulate its heat efficiently and overheating issues can arise," said Oliver, who serves as a trainer for Muscle Shoals. "We're constantly watching for changes in the kids' demeanor on the field or anything that would signal a problem. It's also important that they stay properly hydrated throughout the day at school."

Franklin County school officials say they've been concerned about students participating in physical education classes in unair-conditioned gymnasiums.

"We're using these extremely hot days to do other things in the P.E. classes that can be done in the (air-conditioned) auditoriums, like show related videos," said Franklin County Superintendent Bill Moss. "We aren't going to take any unnecessary chances with the students."

TimesDaily staff writer Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@timesdaily.com.