(Omaha, NE) -- Metropolitan Utilities District is asking customers to conserve water during this week's extreme heat by altering their watering schedules.
M.U.D. says while there is enough water supply from the District’s three water plants to provide reliable service, however the utility is seeing near record-level hourly demands when lawn watering occurs in the early morning hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "It's not so much a capacity related concern, we do have pretty good capacity throughout the system, it's our capability to move that capacity around through the system, through the pipes," M.U.D Vice President of Water Operations Michael Koenig tells KFAB Radio News.
M.U.D. says to balance demand and reduce stress on pumps, pipes and equipment, they are asking water customers to voluntarily begin watering on odd/even days:
- If your address ends with an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), water on Monday, Wednesday and/or Friday.
- If your address ends with an even number (2,4, 6, 8, 0), water on Tuesday, Thursday and/or Saturday or Sunday.
"What we're looking to do is, rather than push that (heavy water usage) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we're looking for an evening out of that capacity and see some of that water usage for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday," Koenig said.
In addition, the District offers these water conservation tips:
- Measure the amount of water applied to your lawn in a 15-minute period using a tuna can. Adjust the run time on the sprinkler system to deliver the required amount. Contact a lawn care professional if you need help.
- Make sure sprinkler heads are in working order and directed on your lawn and not on sidewalks, driveways and streets. Use sprinklers that emit large droplets, again to reduce losses due to evaporation.
- Check hose connections for leaks and repair them quickly. A single hose left on uses nearly 300 gallons of water an hour.
- Use a broom to clean patios, sidewalks and driveways.
- Use a remote rain sensor shutoff device on your sprinkler system. The District offers a rebate to water customers. For eligibility information and a rebate form, visit mudomaha.com/rebates.