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Water authority in Lancaster County borough asks customers to voluntarily cut back on water usage

The agency voted last week to institute Stage I of its Drought Contingency Plan and is asking customers to voluntary reduce their water usage by 5-10 percent.

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Note: The video is from June 9.

The Elizabethtown Area Water Authority on Tuesday announced it is instituting Stage I of its Drought Contingency Plan and is asking customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage.

The move was unanimously approved last week at a meeting of the EAWA's board of directors.

EAWA is the first agency in Lancaster County to institute voluntary reduction in water usage. 

The Stage I policy does not require customers to take action or penalize them if they don’t.

“We have all experienced one of the driest Mays on record, and that has had an impact on our wells and streams,” said Dr. Dale Treese, DDS, president of the EAWA board. “The levels have dropped significantly, and while we have plenty of water for our customers, we are asking them to take voluntary steps to limit their consumption. 

"The rain this week was helpful in the short term, but it wasn’t enough to replenish groundwater supplies."

Residents are asked to reduce their individual water use by 5 to 10%, or a reduction of three to six gallons of water per day. 

According to the EAWA, there are many ways to conserve water at home, including:

  • Run water only when necessary. Don’t let the faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering.
  • Run the dishwasher and washing machine less often, and only with full loads.
  • Avoid watering lawns, gardens and plants in the afternoon when water more easily evaporates.
  • Check for household leaks. Leaking toilets can waste 200 gallons of water daily.
  • Sweep your sidewalk, deck, or driveway instead of hosing it off.
  • Set up a rain barrel to be ready to repurpose rain when it does fall.

“These are just a few of the many ways EAWA customers can help us conserve water in this especially dry spring and early summer,” Treese said. “Although we aren’t officially in a drought, we are reaching a point where these voluntary steps will go a long way toward ensuring a consistent supply of water.”

For more information about water conservation, visit www.etown-water.com/water-conservation  or www.dep.pa.gov/drought.

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