Residents urged to conserve water

A recent dry spell in which precipitation fell 71 percent short of normal has the city’s water suppliers reminding residents to conserve.

Although Colorado Springs Utilities’ water storage is on track with the 30-year average, precipitation in October was only a quarter-inch, 29 percent of normal, Utilities spokesman Steve Berry said.

“It’s been fairly mild and dry,” he said. “If you remember this time last year, we had a blizzard at the end of October.”

Consumers used 36 percent more water last month compared with the same period a year ago, a reflection of the dry conditions, Berry said.

Last month’s water usage was still 9 percent less than in pre-drought October 2001, he said. And for the year, usage is 16 percent less than in 2001, demonstrating customers’ conservation efforts since the drought hit in 2002 and brought water restrictions and block water rates that discourage overconsumption.

Berry noted that temperatures are 104 percent of normal this year, and precipitation sits at 11.3 inches, 31 percent below normal.

“We would not consider it as being drought conditions, but it is a good reminder to all of our customers that we still live in a semiarid climate,” Berry said. “People need to be diligent with their water use, including in the winter months.”

He said lawns should be given a “pretty good soak” to the roots twice a month in winter during dry conditions. Once a month is enough in normal conditions.

“If you’re wise in winter months, when it comes spring, your landscape should come back nicer and need less water, because you’re encouraging healthy root growth,” he said.

“People have really informed them- selves of how to take care of their landscapes. What it takes to grow a healthy lawn isn’t just water, but it’s prep work and it’s (types of) soil.”

Berry said Utilities isn’t hitting the panic button yet about water supply.

“It’s still early,” he said. We want to give the winter a little more time to see what precipitation we get, and hopefully it’s a good one.”

Although winter doesn’t officially begin until Dec. 22, the season’s first icy blast may be on its way. The National Weather Service calls for snow tonight through Wednesday with the best chance for accumulations in the central mountains, Pikes Peak, Teller County and the Palmer Divide. Light snow is likely over much of the rest of area.

High temperatures are expected to hover in the 30s Wednesday over the southeast plains and upper Arkansas River valley and in the teens and 20s in the mountains.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazette.com