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10/20/2016 12:00 AMPersistent dry weather and continued drought conditions have prompted Connecticut Water Company to ask its customers across the state to step-up their voluntarily measures to conserve water. In July the company requested that all customers voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10 percent to extend the availability of existing supplies and to support the rivers and streams in the state.
Connecticut Water has continued to closely monitor its water supplies. While supplies in its reservoirs are lower than normal, it also have groundwater sources in nearly all of its water systems that provide operational flexibility, so is not solely dependent on our reservoirs for water supply.
The company continues to encourage all customers to reduce their water usage by 10 percent and is now asking
customers in the shoreline communities of Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook to reduce their water usage by 15 percent.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 85 percent of Connecticut is considered to be in severe drought. Given the extended dry weather conditions and the outlook for below normal precipitation according to the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, the company decided it was important to ask its shoreline customers to increase their conservation efforts.
Director of Service Delivery David A. Connors stated, “We currently have an adequate supply of water for our customers’ needs, but we are taking these steps to ensure we will continue to have enough water for those needs should the drought continue. That’s why we are asking all of our customers to continue to conserve water, and our customers in those shoreline communities, where we have had high summer demands and felt the drought’s effects the most, to reduce their consumption by 15 percent. Should normal precipitation not materialize, this will position us to have sufficient water to meet the needs of our customers and put less stress on local water resources.”
Overall, Connecticut Water Company’s reservoirs are at approximately 65 percent of their capacity, which is less than normal but not at historically low levels.
Connecticut Water’s customers have already demonstrated that water usage can be reduced in the home when customers are committed to conservation. The 5,000 participants in the Water Drop Challenge (WDC) saved nearly 9 million gallons of water in the first half of 2016, a time of the year when outdoor watering is minimal compared to the peak summer months of July and August. The 9 million gallons of water saved is enough to fill 1,500 water tankers that, if parked end-to-end, would stretch more than 14 miles.
The WDC is a voluntary water conservation program launched in 2016, before the drought, that encourages customers to reduce their 2016 water usage compared to 2015.
Connors added, “The WDC has shown that when people are committed to lowering their water usage and are provided with information on conservation practices they can make a real impact around their homes.”
A typical Connecticut Water residential household uses about 165 gallons of water per day. Assuming there are three people living in the household, a 10- to 15 percent household reduction would be to six to eight gallons per person per day. These savings cumulatively make a big difference and can be achieved by eliminating non-essential water use. Here are some specific things customers can do:
• Stop watering lawns
• Shut-off automatic irrigation systems
• Sweep patios, driveways, and sidewalks rather than using a hose on paved surfaces
• Turn off the water when brushing teeth or shaving
• Take showers instead of baths
• Fix leaks, a faucet that drips can waste up to 3,280 gallons of water per year
• Check for silent toilet leaks that can waste large quantities of water (Here’s how: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-npGaTDqHA)
Connecticut Water will continue to monitor water demands and will modify its request for water conservation measures accordingly. Additional suggestions on how to save water are available by visiting www.CTWater.com/conservation. Customers without Internet access can call 1-800-286-5700.