Columbus issued an alert for the implementation of stage one drought contingency plan conditions following an equipment failure that forced a water treatment plant offline, Wednesday, Sept. 17. Stage One requests residents and business owners to voluntarily reduce water usage. Aesthetic water features like swimming pools decorative fountains should have reduced refilling unless the water is recirculated. This Stage One was triggered by ongoing dry weather conditions and the unexpected failure of a booster pump at one of the three water treatment plants. According to Warschak, each plant has two booster pumps, but the other booster pump was already out of service waiting for a replacement.