Water Board Urges SK, Gansett Residents to Observe Conservation Efforts

In an attempt to reduce the amount of water used by local residents on their lawns, the Rhode Island Water Resources Board is currently promoting a "Save Water This Summer" program, targeted mainly at people in South Kingstown using water from the Chipuxet Basin.

The Basin, consisting of nearly 37 square miles in South Kingstown, Exeter, North Kingstown, Richmond and Charlestown, provides most of the public drinking water to Narragansett and SK, while also supporting public water supplies, agriculture and private wells throughout the area.

According to Water Resources Board officials, peak water demands are currently exceeding state resource protection goals, causing the Board to pursue several initiatives to satisfy and manage demands while improving the health of the Chipuxet watershed.

Program goals include reducing peak water demands and withdrawals during low flow periods (July-September), developing new or alternate sources to alleviate summer water supply issues, and exploring other techniques such as aquifer recharge, dam management and desalination.

In addition to the "Save Water This Summer" program, the Water Resources Board continues to promote best practices for lawn maintenance with the third year of its "Slow the Flow" campaign, which seeks to spread awareness and inspire action to be taken by residents and visitors to use less water this summer.

Several suggestions for residents include keeping an eye on running water (faucets average 2-4 gallons per minute), toilet flushes (newer, water-efficient models use about 1.28 gallons per flush, compared to nearly 5 gallons for older models), and lawn care (about 1 inch a week is all a lawn needs to stay healthy).

For more information on water conservation initiatives, click here to visit the Water Resources Board website or call (401) 222.7901 to inquire about ways to reduce water use. To find more tips on lawn care, visit www.riwater.org.