'Strict' Water Conservation Measures Announced In Port Washington

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — "Strict" water conservation measures have been unveiled in Port Washington on Wednesday. The Port Washington Water District said the move aims to help meet demand during peak usage times. Three supply wells were taken offline to build new treatment systems and neighbors have to conserve during the warmer months, the district said. Otherwise, it will have a shortage.

The mandatory measures were mailed to every resident and seek to reduce water use by irrigation systems, which officials said are primarily the source behind a nearly 150 percent increase in water consumption between May and September.

"Since our capacity to deliver water has been impacted with the efforts to treat emerging contaminants, we need our residents to follow stricter water conservation measures,” Commissioner David Brackett said in a news release. "Irrigation systems put a significant strain on the distribution system, even when every supply well is operational. The required changes to our irrigation policies will help us overcome these challenges during the peaks of water pumping season."

Every resident with an automatic irrigation system must reduce watering on each zone by four minutes, the district said. Doing so can reduce water consumption by up to 20 percent.

Restrictions were also announced on the times of day certain areas can irrigate:

● Municipal and commercial properties: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

● Manorhaven and Flower Hill West (west of route 101): 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

● Baxter Estates and Plandome Manor: 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

● Port Washington North and Flower Hill East (east of route (101): 1 a.m. -3 a.m.

● Port Washington (unincorporated areas): 3 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Mindy Germain, a district commissioner, said the flattening measures will have a "significant impact" on their ability to meet demand.

"The old saying, ‘It takes a village’ is truly applicable to our current situation," Germain said. "If everyone does their part while we construct these state-of-the-art treatment systems, we can meet the needs of our community and protect and preserve our only water source."

The district is also requiring all residents to adhere to the county's lawn-watering law that bans irrigation between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and mandates that odd-numbered addresses can only water on odd-numbered days, while even-numbered (or non-numbered) addresses can only water on even-numbered days.

Folks who manually irrigate lawns were asked to limit watering to 15 minutes per area with a max of up to two hours a day. They, too, must abide by the lawn-watering lawn.

Among the other recommendations:

• Residents with automatic irrigation systems are encouraged to install smart irrigation controllers. These connect to WiFi to capture weather data and other information to more accurately determine appropriate watering levels. The district has a rebate program that provides an up to $150 in rebate money to residents who upgrade from a manual timer to a smart controller.
• Residents are encouraged to install a rain sensor and soil moisture sensor, or make sure existing sensors are functioning. It is also important to consistently check irrigation systems for leaks and breaks.
• The district encouraged residents to consider native and drought-resistant plants for their gardens and use modern gardening techniques such as xeriscaping.

For more information call 516-767-0171 or visit the water district’s website.