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Be on the lookout for water thieves, again Tuesday Jul 25, 2017 at 5:19 PM Jul 25, 2017 at 5:20 PM Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Gold Hill officials are urging residents to conserve water and keep their eyes peeled for water thieves to avoid a service interruption. Mayor Christine Stanley issued an emergency alert Monday evening saying the city was experiencing a water shortage that could lead to less than adequate supplies for municipal demand. “We are asking our citizens to conserve over the next few days," the notice said. Please observe emergency water conservation measures. Current measures include but are not limited to the following. Turn off ice makers, turn off automatic sprinkler systems, no filling of swimming pools, no washing cars.” Anyone who witnesses water being taken out via hydrants, other than by local fire or city officials, is urged to call 911, said the notice. This wasn't the first time Gold Hill sent out a notice about water supply issues. City officials alerted residents of the need for conservation in May when the unexplained loss of 40,000 gallons of water forced residents to conserve, and the city asked people to keep their eyes peeled for illegal access to fire hydrants. Monday’s notice also referenced hot weather as a culprit. Mayor Christine Stanley did not return calls seeking comment, and the city is without a permanent city manager after parting ways with embattled city manager Rick Hohnbaum. In May, water plant operator Eryn McNeil said a year’s worth of broken lines and issues related to the ailing plant, which is slated for eventual renovation or replacement, had caused difficulty in meeting demand. Gold Hill is one of the valley’s smallest towns, but city residents pay some of the highest water rates in the state. — Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected].