INC NEWS - Durham Conservation Efforts, Water Restrictions & Water Supply Status (FAQs)

[John Schelp]

>From the City of Durham...

Durham Conservation Efforts, Water Restrictions and
Water Supply Status

Frequently Asked Questions

In keeping with North Carolina Governor Mike Easley’s
call to cut water use by half, Durham has enacted
mandatory water restrictions banning outdoor watering
and irrigation until further notice.  Hand-held
watering containers or drip irrigation will still be
allowed on Saturdays only, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
OR 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

Are you doing your part to save water and help extend
our supply?  To learn more about the water use
restrictions, reading your water meter or the status
of Durham ’s water supply, visit the City’s Web site
at www.durhamnc.gov.

Here is a list of frequently asked questions that can
help you and your family during this drought period.

Q:  How do I report water restriction violations? 

To report a violation, call Durham One Call at
560-1200 or visit the Web site at
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm/water_report_form.cfm
to report a violation online.

Q:  What is the number one water consuming device in
the home?

The toilet! You can reduce toilet water use/waste by
doing the following:

·        Replace your old water-wasting toilet. Houses
constructed prior to 1993 have toilets that use
between 3.5 and 10 gallons per flush.

·        Use a displacement device in the tank if your
toilet uses more than 1.6 gallons per flush. If you
use a brick, make sure it is enclosed in a plastic bag
to prevent deterioration. Another item to use for
displacement is a plastic container filled with water.

·        Check for leaks frequently and repair
immediately.

·        Consider taking a family pledge to reduce the
number of flushes.

Q:  How long should I shower? How can I save water in
the shower?

·        Take four-to-five minute showers. You can
save water by purchasing a new 1.5 gallon per minute
showerhead at City Hall. 

·        Turn off the water while you soap, shampoo
and condition your hair.

·        Place a bucket in the shower and collect
water while waiting for it to heat up. Use this water
for toilet flushing, watering plants or for pets.

Q:  How can I save water in the kitchen?

·        Wash and rinse dishes in a basin. Use the
dirty water for plants.

·        Wash vegetables and fruits in a basin and use
the water for plants.

·        DO NOT use the garbage disposal. Collect the
scraps for composting or dispose in a solid waste
container.

·        Replace faucet aerators with easy on/off
toggle switch aerators.

·        Check for leaks frequently and repair
immediately.

Q:  Can you save a significant amount of water by
using disposable plates, cups and utensils?

Yes. Even the most efficient dishwashers use
approximately 12 gallons of water per cycle. That
equates to about 7.5 low flow toilet flushes.

Q:  The Governor has requested that cities report
weekly on water supplies. Does Durham have the
capability to do that? 

Yes. That information is collected daily and submitted
to the State currently on a monthly basis. The City
will easily be able to meet the new requirements using
the State’s electronic reporting format.

Q:  How can I get a rain barrel? 

Due to heightened popularity, the Department of Water
Management’s supply of rain barrels from Rain Water
Solutions is limited. To get on the waiting list, call
560-4381. Other vendors may have more readily
available supplies of rain barrels. An area list serve
noted success in obtaining a rain barrel via
www.pleasantgreengrass.com and other Web sites may
provide information on how to build your own rain
barrel.

Q:  Why isn’t the Teer (Hanson Aggregates) Quarry
ready to be used as a water storage site? 

The City is in the second of a three-phase development
process to use the quarry as a long-term storage
facility to provide an additional 1.32 billion gallon
capacity for the City. The current timetable to have
the Quarry available for long-term storage calls for
2009 completion. Staff is also developing an emergency
operations plan to access and utilize the
approximately 500 million gallons currently in the
quarry.  This is in addition to other options to
supplement existing supplies.

Q:  How can I keep up with how much water we have?

Customers are encouraged to check the City’s Web site
for daily updates on the water supply status.  The
number is fluid - changing as conditions and usage
change.

Q:  What are the City’s alternatives for getting more
water?

In addition to accessing water from Teer Quarry,
Durham can access about 20 percent or 2 million
gallons per day (MGD) of its Jordan Lake allocation of
10 MGD via the Town of Cary ’s water system.  We also
have agreements in place with other local water
providers (OWASA and Hillsborough) who currently have
excess water supply.  There is also approximately 1.2
billion gallons of water below the intakes of the two
reservoirs.  This water is more difficult to access,
but staff will utilize it as necessary.  Using some or
all of the above resources will add months of supply
for the City.

Q:  Why doesn’t the City dredge Lake Michie and remove
the accumulated sediment to make room to store more
water when it rains?

The City has evaluated this option and determined it
is not economically feasible. Estimates are that
approximately 15 percent of the storage capacity may
have been lost to sedimentation, requiring the
excavation of about 3 million cubic yards. At a rate
of about $25 per cubic yard to dig and dispose of the
sediment, that would cost about $75 million. The City
would recover only about 600 million gallons of
storage capacity for that $75 million.  Adding Teer
Quarry provides 1.32 billion gallons of storage
capacity for $15 million.  Also, the sediment has been
evaluated in the past and is not considered suitable
for use as topsoil.

 
For more water conservation tips, visit
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm/tips.cfm