On Monday, June 21, the first day of summer, the town of Buena Vista implemented voluntary water restrictions, reminding residents that “this year, summer water usage is critical and it is drier than usual this year.”
After months of drought conditions in Colorado, it is more important than ever to use water efficiently. The town is asking residents to abide by the following outside water tips to help reduce the risk of additional water restrictions by following voluntary summer watering rules now.
The town’s MAKE EVERY DROP COUNT Voluntary Restrictions:
•Water during cooler times of the day — either early morning and evening
•Do not water lawns between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
•Water no more than three days per week
•Do not allow water to pool in gutters, streets, and alleys
•Do not allow water to spray on concrete and asphalt
•Do not irrigate while it’s raining or during high winds
•Use a hose with a shut-off valve when washing your car
•Adjust your sprinklers for maximum efficiency and repair any leaks
•Install soil moisture and water sensors
•Add mulch around plants and trees to hold moisture at the root level.
Buena Vista is also offering these best practices and tips for efficient outdoor water use. A good way to keep a water schedule is to water on the following days:
Odd number addresses: Tuesday—Thursday—Saturday
Even number addresses: Wednesday—Friday—Sunday
The Water-rest-water Routine that Maximizes Water Effectiveness
To maximize efficiency and allow the soil the time to soak up water, add multiple start times and reduce each zone’s watering time. For example, for a 14-minute run time, irrigate one zone for 7 minutes, then turn it off while another zone is irrigated, then irrigate the first zone again for 7 minutes to achieve the total 14 minute run time.
A reminder that if you water during the heat of the day, you may lose up to 50 percent of the water to evaporation, which is simply a waste of water.
Those with questions should call Public Works at 719-395-6898.
How many years out of the last 5 years have we had voluntary water restrictions in place in BV?
It seems obvious that we have a water supply problem in BV, and while I’m certainly appreciative of the efforts of the BV Trustees to find us new sources of water, maybe the real solution is to severely limit growth, which will help preserve what little surface water we do have available, and will help to prevent the depletion of our delicate aquifer.
We need to take action to preserve what little water we do have, so that ranchers and farmers and the rest of us can continue to enjoy the way of life that makes the valley the place we want to live in the first place. Or, we can just continue to let growth happen as it pleases, and look forward to the day when our wells run dry and we’re forced to either move away or have water trucked in to our houses every month.