Water utilities in the Duck River watershed are asking customers to conserve water as the utilities' leaders try to persuade the Tennessee Valley Authority to release less water through Normandy Dam.

"In order to get TVA to do some water management changes, we're going to have to show good faith," says Lewisburg Water and Wastewater Department Superintendent Larry Jones, chairman of the Duck River Agency Technical Advisory Committee (DRATAC).

The drought is lowering Normandy Lake by a foot every 10 days, according to the agency's interpretation of TVA figures. That threatens the source of water for Tullahoma and other customers of the Duck River Utility Commission because TVA must, by contract, release about 150 cubic feet per second through the dam.

However, water has been flowing into Normandy Lake at about 9-10 cubic feet per second, DRATAC officials said.