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TMWA Calls for 10-Percent Reduction in Water Use: Watch Video

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truckee_river_dry-555x294-3603755-5892568The Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) Board of Directors, at its March meeting, directed staff to begin early implementation of conservation measures and actions in response to the  area’s fourth year of drought. TMWA customers are being asked to reduce their water use by at least 10 percent this spring and summer, effective immediately.

“We are asking for at least 10 percent reduction in outside and indoor water use from all of our customers – homes, businesses, homeowner’s associations and apartments,” said Mark Foree, TMWA general manager. “We are all in this together. With the seriousness of the drought, we all need to do as much as we can.”

“Our planning and projections show a 10-percent reduction in water use will allow TMWA up to save 5,000 acre feet of water stored in upstream and underground reserves – that’s over 1.6 billion gallons of water. This will help us maintain reserve water supplies for next year, should the drought continue,” added Foree.

Truckee River flows will diminish much earlier this year than in 2014. When that happens, TMWA will begin releasing water from its drought reserves in Stampede Reservoir, Boca Reservoir and Donner and Independence Lakes.

Drought reserves in these reservoirs are starting off full, despite a poor snowpack. Any water that is saved this summer will be retained in those reservoirs, making it available should it be needed next year.

This winter and spring, TMWA has been recharging as much treated water as possible into the underground aquifers, totaling over 720 million gallons through March.

Here are water-saving guides:

  • Sprinkler run times should be 4-6 minutes, backing off by two minutes if there is runoff, or adding two minutes if your lawn is still dry after a cycle
  • Start out with three run times per assigned watering day
  • Check your sprinkler heads to ensure proper operation
  • Now is the time to root feed your trees and fertilize your lawn

View the full recent report to the TMWA Board, which includes a full explanation of how our water system is managed in times of drought, online at: www.tmwa.com/drought-management.

RELATED: Dealing with Drought.

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