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Thirsty Earth: Water-Saving Tips for Living in a Drought

Posted on: Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 15:00 CDT

You might want to think twice about that 10-minute shower. By keeping it to 4 minutes or under, you could save over 10 gallons of water.

With no end in sight to the 16-month drought, local officials are reminding citizens to be prudent in their water use. Though Lynchburg's situation is better than Atlanta's, some local jurisdictions have been forced to implement water restrictions as reservoir supplies dwindle.

A drought is broadly defined as a "deficiency of rainfall over a period of time, resulting in water shortage for some activity, group or environmental sector," according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. Unlike sudden natural disasters, the more subtle drought is known as "creeping phenomenon" because it starts and ends slowly.

In Virginia, the drought is expected to persist or intensify during the next three months, according to an Oct. 18 report by the Climate Prediction Center, a branch of the National Weather Service. Lynchburg is 7 inches below normal rainfall levels for the year.

Even though rain is in the forecast for today, it will likely have little impact on alleviating the drought, says meteorologist Dennis Sleighter of the National Weather Service. Here's a roundup of the area's water supply situation and some tips for conserving water:

Greater Lynchburg Last week, the city of Lynchburg issued a joint drought advisory with Bedford County Public Service Authority and Campbell County Utilities and Service Authority. Though they have not called for conservation measures, officials are encouraging residents to use water wisely.

Since early October, 90 percent of the Pedlar Reservoir's water supply has been supplemented by the James River. Under normal conditions, the reservoir, now 160 inches below the spillway, provides 100 percent of the water.

Bedford The city of Bedford declared a water emergency and went into mandatory water conservation Oct. 10.

Domestic restrictions include prohibitions on outdoor water use. Activities, like watering lawns, washing cars and hosing down sidewalks, are prohibited.

First offenses will result in a written warning; subsequent violations will cost $50 per day for residential users.

Bedford's Stoney Creek Reservoir was 64 inches below the spillway as of last week. Without rain, the reservoir has been decreasing by a steady 2 inches a day. If the reservoir reaches 84 inches below the spillway, water restrictions would kick into critical condition, says Dennis Wood, operations manager of City of Bedford Waterways and Water Treatment.

Campbell Though rain in Campbell County has been sparse, the Otter River has received plenty of rain at its headwaters, says Mike Damron, administrator of Campbell County Utilities and Service Authority.

"We're not concerned at this juncture," Damron said. "At this time, we're just monitoring the situation."

The public water supply might be in good shape, but the wells are starting to dry up, Damron says. Residents relying on well water have been calling to inquire about hooking up to the public line. The majority, though, live too far away, according to Damron.

"Some people would need to make some kind of provision to haul water to their site," Damron says. "It's a tough situation."

Amherst Amherst County's water supply is low, but not enough to warrant conservation measures, says Dan French, director of public utilities for the Amherst County Service Authority. As of last week, the reservoir was down 48 inches. Though the county is not in conservation mode, officials are monitoring the situation closely.

"If we were down this far in mid-summer, we would be on water use restrictions," he said. "Because we are going into autumn, with hopefully more rain in the foreseeable future and we have good capacity in the reservoir, it's not necessary to go into conservation mode at this time."

The town's water supply is not faring as well. As of Oct. 2, the town has been under mandatory water restrictions. The town moved from voluntary to mandatory conservation measures after the Buffalo River reached an exceptionally low level, according to the town's Web site. Amherst County released water from the Mill Creek reservoir to provide additional water. Until the restrictions are lifted, residents in the town of Amherst are prohibited from washing vehicles, watering lawns, refilling swimming pools, and washing decks, sidewalks and driveways. Violations carry a fine of up to $250 per offense.

Nelson Nelson County went into mandatory water conservation Oct. 8. Officials have banned outdoor water use, including the washing of cars, driveways, sidewalks and power washing. The penalty for unauthorized use runs $500 a day.

Appomattox The town of Appomattox has called for voluntary conservation measures. Two of the town's eight wells have dropped more than 20 feet since Oct. 1.

Town Manager David Garrett said that while the water situation is stable for the time being, town wells are being monitored several times a day to prevent over-pumping, which could cause the town to lose a well.

A number of county residents rely on their own wells.

What can you do? The average U.S. home uses more than 200 gallons of water a day, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Here's a list of the major household water guzzlers and tips on how to use water more efficiently:

Toilet: 27 percent of water use; 60,000 gallons per year Offset older toilets with a plastic jug of pebbles and water to minimize flushing.

Flush less frequently.

Clothes washer: 21.7 percent of water use; 56,000 gallons per year.

Operate only full loads.

Use correct volume settings.

Consider replacement. Old washers use approximately 41 gallons per load, while new high-efficiency machines use only 23 gallons.

Faucet: 16 percent of water use; 35,000 gallons per year

Turn off the water running while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing.

Catch "warm-up" water in a bucket and use for plants.

Consider installing low-flow restrictors/aerators on faucets ($2-4).

Showerhead: 16 percent of water use; 37,000 gallons/year Take shorter showers. Typical showers last 8 minutes and use 17 gallons. An efficient shower lasts three or four minutes and uses 7.5 gallons.

Leaks: 14 percent of water use; 30,000 gallons per year

Check for and repair toilet leaks. Leaks can waste from 30 to 500 gallons of water per day.

Fix faucet leaks. A gradual dripping faucet can leak up to 5 gallons of water per day.

Irrigation systems typically leak 20-40 percent.

Dishwasher: 1.4 percent of water use; 3600 gallons per year

Wash full loads.

Consider replacement. A newer model reduces water use by 30-50 percent per load

Irrigation systems: waters use depends on the season; up to 100,000 gallons/year or more

Lawns need only 1 inch of water per week, and they don't need to be watered daily. Overwatering causes 85 percent of turf problems.

Water at night if possible to reduce water lost to evaporation and transpiration.

Upgrade your sprinkler clock.

Install a rain shut-off device.

Collect rainwater with a rain bucket or cistern system with drip lines.

Convert turf to low water-use landscaping such as drought resistant grass, plants, shrubs and trees.

Source: The News & Advance

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