City of Storm Lake recently issued the following announcement.
In the previous installment of Water Wisdom, the seven broad categories of water conservation and reuse were introduced. In this installment, the focus will be on-demand reduction. Demand reduction is exactly what it sounds like, decreasing the amount of water required by consumers. There are a lot of ways to reduce demand and there is no way all of them can be covered in this short narrative. Here are a few common ones that can make an impact.
During the summer months, irrigation of lawns and gardens can be a large portion of the daily water demand. Methods to reduce irrigation needs include installing rock gardens, cultivating bee or butterfly lawns, and simply allowing grass to go dormant in the heart of summer. Drought-resistant, shorter growing grasses can be planted that require less water and less mowing. Finally, rain barrels for the collection of storm water can provide a natural water source for plants.
The City of Storm Lake Water Department has a responsibility to reduce water demand by finding and repairing leaks. Leak detection is performed twice a year to cut down on water loss. Specialized equipment is used to listen for leaks and pinpoint their locations. Leak detection performed in October of 2021 discovered an estimated 12,500 gallons per day of leaks which translated to 4.6 million gallons lost per year. Once leaks are discovered, repairs are scheduled as quickly as possible.
An arguably less popular but more equitable method of reducing water usage is to set water rates to increase as water usage increases. The purpose of this is not to penalize higher users, but instead to prompt consumers to more closely consider the quantity of water that they use. The rates would be set so that the typical usage of a household or business would not be subject to the higher rates, but once usage went above what would be considered average usage the cost per given volume of water would rise. The City of Storm Lake water rates are not currently subject to these adjustments based on usage volume.
There are many, many more ways that water demand can be reduced, we just need to get mindful and creative to conserve this valuable resource. For truly eye-opening information on what extended drought periods look like, please visit: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/conservation_portal/
More tips regarding voluntary water conservations measures and tips for reducing water consumption will follow each Tuesday. Ensuring wise use of our water resources is in the best interest of the community.
Being Storm Lake Proud is not one day, one week, one month or one event. Being Storm Lake Proud is a magnificent lifestyle! More information about the City of Storm Lake can be found on the city’s website at www.stormlake.org.
Original source can be found here.
