Utilities Division Calls for Voluntary Water Conservation

Utilities Division - Sept. 10, 2007
Contact: David Saunders, 727-8418

With much of the Piedmont Triad in extreme drought, the City/County Utilities Division is asking residents of Forsyth County to start conserving water voluntarily in order to forestall the need for mandatory conservation.

The call for conservation was triggered by water flows and levels in the Yadkin River; drawdown rates; outlook for precipitation; and seasonal and long-term weather patterns, said David Saunders, the director of the City/County Utilities Division.

"We want to emphasize that we do not have a water-supply issue yet, but we want to be prudent so that we don’t end up in a situation where we have to enact mandatory water conservation," Saunders said.

Residents could significantly reduce water demand by simply watering their lawns every other day, Saunders said. "Reducing irrigation is the single action that would make the most difference in our water usage," Saunders said. "And it would have no impact on lawns. All it takes is an inch of water a week to keep a lawn growing."

In addition to watering lawns no more than ever other day, the Utilities Division requests that residents avoid watering lawns between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to minimize evaporation. Residents can also conserve water by:

• Repairing leaky faucets and toilets.

• Installing reduced-flow showerheads.

• Foregoing baths and instead taking showers that last no longer than 5 minutes.

• Turning off faucets while shaving, brushing teeth and washing dishes.

• Operating washing machines and dishwashers only with full loads.

• Limiting vehicle washing.

• Refraining from hosing off sidewalks, patios and driveways.

• Refraining from filling swimming and wading pools.

The request for voluntary water conservation comes with much of the Piedmont Triad in an extreme drought, which is the second-most severe category of drought by the N.C. Division of Water Resources. Across the Piedmont Triad, the levels of lakes and reservoirs are down.

These factors, coupled with Governor Easley’s request that all local governments enact water conservation measures, led the staff to recommend that voluntary water conservation be enacted immediately and until further notice. However, the water system faces no immediate loss of supply, thanks to farsighted city voters who approved a bond referendum in 1959 to help pay for the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. In return, the city received the right call for release of up to 11 billion gallons from the reservoir, as needed.

The City/County Utility Commission adopted a water conservation policy in June 2000 that establishes four levels of water conservation. The first level, voluntary conservation, can be enacted by a decrease in the water supply.

Saunders noted that voluntary conservation measures have the added benefit of reducing water bills. "If people are watering their lawn every day and cut back to every other day, they’ll have kept more money in their pocket without any impact on their lifestyle," he said.

Customers with questions about water conservation should call the Utilities Division at 727-8418.