COLLEGE STATION, TX – After a month of no significant rainfall, hot temperatures and high winds, College Station is delivering record high amounts of water to its customers. Water demand in the last week has averaged nearly 20 million gallons per day, which is close to College Station’s production capacity of 23 million gallons per day.
Since May, water usage per capita has increased from 151 gallons per person per day to nearly 250 gallons per person per day, and total water delivered has increased over 30%. Jennifer Nations, Water Resource Coordinator, stated, “We understand that people may want to water more because it is so very hot and dry. However, we recommend that our customers follow some best management practices to avoid water waste and help us curb peak water demand.”
Those best management practices include:
• Avoid outdoor watering between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Up to 60% of water applied during this
period is wasted due to evaporation.
• Water no more than once every 5 days, after 6:00 p.m. or before 10:00 a.m. Customers are
encouraged to follow College Station’s Five-Day Watering Schedule, available at:
http://www.cstx.gov/utilities and attached to this press release.
• Water slowly and deeply, and STOP at the point of runoff, which could be as soon as 10 – 20 minutes. Wait for the water to soak in and then water again, repeating the cycle until the soil is wet to a depth of about six inches.
• Check for leaks and fix them immediately. A slow leak of one drip per second wastes approximately 250 gallons of water each month.
• Report suspected leaks and water line breaks to College Station Utilities Dispatch: 764-3638.
• Adjust sprinklers so they water ONLY the grass and other vegetation, not sidewalks or pavement.
• Mulch trees and plants to retain soil moisture and prevent evaporation.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks, porches, and other hard surfaces. A hose uses over 8 gallons of water every minute, but a broom uses no water and works just as well.
• See watering schedule at http://www.cstx.gov/home/index.asp?page=828.
By reducing unnecessary water use and eliminating water waste, customers can save on water bills, reduce peak seasonal water demand, and ensure an adequate supply of safe, high-quality drinking water for everyone.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Nations with College Station Water Services at 764-6223 or jnations@cstx.gov.