Tesei: Please Reduce Your Water Consumption, Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — With conditions remaining abnormally dry, Greenwich First Selectman Peter J. Tesei is calling on all residents to reduce their water consumption by 10 percent.

Tesei issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, stressing that the current dry conditions that started in August "have caused reservoir levels to fall below 50 percent." The call for water conservation is being done in coordination with Aquarion Water Co. which is also asking for voluntary reductions in Greenwich, Stamford, Darien and New Canaan.

"This request for water conservation applies to all residents in Greenwich including those served by private wells," said Tesei in his release. "We are having reports of problems with private wells. This continued drought is impacting all water supplies, not just the reservoirs."

Specifically, Aquarion is requesting residents to reduce overall water usage by 10 percent and for those using outdoor irrigation for their lawns, to stop for the season.

From the Tesei release:

This summer, the Town and Aquarion instituted permanent water restrictions on lawn irrigation. This action resulted in a tremendous savings of water. Without these restrictions, the region would most likely have been in a drought emergency by early September.

"We know that healthy lawns do not need to be watered more than twice a week, and with cooler temps and shorter days, lawns are starting to go dormant and do not need to be watered at this time," said Greenwich Conservation Director Denise Savageau. Ms. Savageau also said that there will be a transition period for homeowners and landscapers to adapt to water-wise landscaping. To assist residents, the Conservation Commission is planning a series of workshops like the Healthy Yards Workshop it hosted on Oct. 18 at the Garden Education Center.

"The Town is actively monitoring drought conditions looking at rainfall data, stream flow and ground water conditions, and reservoir levels, and all indicate that our water resources are still stressed," Savageau said. "We are still in a rainfall deficit for the past 365 days and are now entering the third year of a drought. We really need several months of above average precipitation to get us out drought conditions, refill our reservoirs and recharge the groundwater."

Savageau leads the Greenwich Water Supply Team that includes Fire Chief Peter Siecienski, Director of Health Caroline Baisley, Emergency Management Director Dan Warzoha and the First Selectman. The team monitors water supplies throughout the year not only for drinking water but also looking at fire safety and stream flow.

To achieve a 10 percent reduction in indoor and non-irrigation outdoor water use, residents are reminded to practice water conservation in their homes and businesses by following these simple tips:

• Check and fix for water leaks, especially in the bathroom.
  
• Flush toilets only when necessary.
  
• Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket.
  
• Take shorter showers, don’t use bathtubs unless necessary and then fill bathtubs only half-way.
  
• Don’t let the water run while brushing teeth, shaving, washing your hands, or doing dishes.
  
• Keep a bottle or pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator.
  
• Wash only full loads in the washing machine or dishwasher.
  
• Replace older plumbing with low flow toilets and showerheads.
  
• Sweep the drive way, do not flush with hose
  
• Use a bucket when washing car, don’t keep hose running.
  
• Do not overwater outdoor plants.
  

For information on water conservation, irrigation restrictions and variances email: Conservation@greenwichct.org

For Update on Aquarion:
http://www.aquarionwater.com/CT/emergency-update

For Update on CT Water Status:
http://www.ct.gov/waterstatus/site/default.asp

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