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Despite Drought, Water Consumption On The Rise

by KREX News Room
by Jordan Sherman

Story Created: Jun 27, 2012 at 6:47 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jun 28, 2012 at 2:03 PM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- Ute Water says despite an announcement that the Grand Valley is in a Stage 1 drought, their customers have consumed three times more water than normal.

On June 8 the Drought Response Information Project, a collaboration among all of the water districts throughout the Grand Valley, announced the drought and requested that water consumers conserve their water.

The numbers since the announcement reveal water consumption has tripled compared to this time last year, equaling an increase of 54 million gallons.

Ute Water says they know where all the extra water is going. "We've seen that customers are beginning to convert their domestic water for irrigation purposes," said Joseph Burtard of the Ute Water Conservancy District.

In fact, compared to last June, there has been an increase from 89 gallons of water used per day per residential customer to 107 this June.

Ute says the rates are built around discouraging such acts. The cheapest service for a residential tap is $15 per 3,000 gallons per billing period. Further use will result in exponential growth of a consumer's water bill.

Ute officials say some residential customers have racked up bills into the thousands because of their use of water for irrigation purposes, such as watering lawns or gardens.

Burtard says rates will be likely go up again if the Grand Valley moves into a Stage 2 drought. A Stage 2 drought will be declared if any of the water districts' reservoirs fall below 75 percent full.

Ute says they will continue educating the public about responsible water consumption, and discourage tap water use for gardens and lawns.

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Rufus said on Thursday, Jun 28 at 5:46 PM

Too bad the water suppliers can't just raise the price of water by about 5 times what it currently is. That would stop some of the waste.

Bert said on Thursday, Jun 28 at 10:06 AM

The people in charge did this to themselves. They got on the news spreading the word that water would be scare this summer. Our HOA also sent out a letter with panic written all over it. If everyone would have kept their mouths shut, people would not have started over-watering to compensate for the off days. Now usage is up when it doesn't need to be. That's what happens when stupid people are in positions they shouldn't be.

Whitewater said on Thursday, Jun 28 at 8:42 AM

The water consuption increase isn't entirely due to using it for irrigation. The swamp cooler takes quite a bit of water since it never stops running. The horses take additional water due to the excessive heat. I don't have a lawn and my water bill is going up due to the swamp cooler and the horses need for water.

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