Voluntary water ban issued in New London, Springfield

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NEW LONDON — The New London-Springfield Water Precinct has issued a voluntary water ban notice and asks for the cooperation of all water users.

The system recently experienced a water main break and a large volume of water was lost during this break.

“Coupled with the extremely dry conditions, it has put the water precinct in a position where we need to ask for the public’s help,” a spokesperson stated.

Users are asked to limit the amount of water used for irrigation purposes.

“The drought of 2002 made us all aware of how precious and fragile our water supply is,” a spokesperson said.

The New London –Springfield Water System Precinct’s water supply continued to provide water during this time, but overuse of water during this dry spell forced the well field and pump station to run 24 hours/day for days on end.

This resulted in increased pumping costs and maintenance for the year of 2002. The well field can produce about 720,000 gallons/day. When the water use exceeds 720,000 gallons/day, we see a gradual decline in our storage tank level.

The Precinct must maintain a certain level in the storage tank for fire protection. The Precinct decided to take action before the tank reached this critical level and imposed a water ban on all unnecessary uses of water. We offer the following water conservation tips to help lower water usage year round, a press release related.

1. Draw only the water you need when you turn the faucet on. Keep water in the refrigerator for cold water, do not let the faucet run to get cold water. Rinse vegetables in short sprays and defrost foods in the refrigerator instead of under running water.

2 Take quicker showers and invest in a low flow shower head available at the local hardware store.

3. Check for leaks, a silent leak in a toilet can use several gallons of water a day. Be sure all faucets are turned off tight. Once a year inspect all inside and outside faucets for leaks.

4. Use leftover drinking water for pets or to water household plants.

5. Match washing machine’s load selector to your load size. Try to wash only full loads. Minimize detergent use. Save energy by using cold water to wash.

6. Water lawn and plants only as they require, when the grass is dull green and you can see your footprint as you walk on it. Water only dry areas and consider changing your landscape to include less grass, more mulch and native plants. Watering by hand allows you to place the water where needed, but if you need to water a large area use soaker hoses and timers. Water early mornings for best results.

7. Wash vehicles with a sponge and bucket using the hose for rinsing only.

8. Cover swimming pools when not in use to prevent evaporation loss and lower the water level to avoid loss do to splashing and overflow.

9. Sweep driveways, walks and decks with a broom instead of hosing them off.

10. Check appliances that use water for leaks.