Drought causes increased water use

Due to the persistent Texas heat and recent drought conditions in and around the Pearland area, the City of Pearland has been experiencing an increase in water consumption across the city.

Pearland Water Production is monitoring demand and working to keep the system in good working order, but the City is encouraging residents to conserve water where possible.

Some preemptive measures include the following:

• Watering yards before 9 am and after 7 pm, as watering in the evenings and overnight greatly reduces evaporation
• Water plants and yards by hand, as hand watering is more efficient over sprinkler systems which in turn consumes less water
• Use dishwashers and washing machines for full loads only, increasing the efficiency of each load
• Wash your car at a car wash that recycles water rather than in your driveway
• Take baths rather than showers – a partially filled tub uses less water than the average   shower

The City Water Production Division is working diligently to maintain the current volume of water production and doing everything in their power to prevent that from decreasing – responding to and fixing water leaks when they occur (there have been 12 main breaks so far in June, which is up from nine last year), maintaining water production plants, wells, and storage tanks to make sure they are operating effectively, and monitoring consumption to keep stakeholders informed and provide the data to make thoughtful decisions in the best interest of the community.

Representatives from the City will also be reaching out directly to major water users in the system to work with them to achieve voluntary water use reductions. Customer Service Representatives are available to answer questions and provide recommendations to any customer.  Customers can reach Customer Service by calling 281.652.1603.

The Water Production Division will continue to monitor consumption levels versus production, and if the weather doesn’t cool down or if there is a significant failure in the current capacity, City Administration will consider implementing Stage 1 drought restrictions.

Stage 1 separates Pearland and its unincorporated ETJ into three sections that align closely with trash collection to provide recommendations for watering schedules.

For full details on how the City of Pearland is approaching the situation along with more information, be sure to visit their website at http://ow.ly/jGyQ50JH35O.