Let's Not Waste Our Water!

We have been very fortunate to have had the rainfall that we did over the last few weeks, resulting in Lake Lavon rising an astonishing 5 feet in one week. We have also done a terrific job as a community in conserving our resources during the period that water restrictions have gone into effect, resulting in a decrease from 107 million gallons per day of usage in the city down to just over 46 million gallons per day since the middle of August, 2011. As a result of the recent rainfall and our conservation efforts, the City of Plano changed the Stage 3 Watering Restrictions.

Effective April 1, Plano residents are allowed to water landscapes once a week. The watering schedule is an even/odd system based upon the last digit of the service address. Under the new watering schedule, odd addresses can operate irrigation watering (such as sprinklers) on Tuesdays and even addresses can do so on Thursdays. No watering with sprinklers is allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Foundations, new landscaping, first year plantings of shrubs and trees may be watered within a 10-feet radius of their trunk for up to two hours any day by a hand-held hose, a soaker hose or a dedicated zone using a low-flow irrigation system.

However, let's not lose sight of the fact that we must still do all we can to protect one of our most precious resources in North Texas. Inspect your sprinkler system to ensure that the sprinkler heads are functioning properly and are aligned where they should be. During the weeks we have rain, please turn off sprinkler systems. Repair any leaking faucets and any other signs of water leaks around the home. Reduce the amount of water consumed by using more efficient flow control methods in shower stalls and toilets. Maximize the loads of dishware and laundry in your dishwashers and washing machines, respectively.

Let's learn from the experiences over the last several months and continue to treat water as the priceless substance it truly is.

Sincerely,

The Sustainability Steward