ALERT: Long Islanders Urged to Conserve Water
With the ocean never more than a stone’s throw away, it can be hard to remember that water is supplies are limited. This week’s excessively high temperatures are resulting in a greatly increased daily water demand by over 400 percent across Long Island. As a result, the Long Island Water Conference is urging all residents to conserve water in any way they can.
Residents should check with their local water district officials and follow the guidelines, which limit outdoor lawn watering.
Homeowners are additionally urged to take the following steps to conserve water waste and avoid overuse:
Reduce water consumption in a conventional toilet by adding a dam to the tank, which will fill up some of the space in the tank so less water is used. Several types of the commercially made tank dams are available, or you can fill a plastic bottle with water and set it in the tank away from the float.
Shut the faucet off while brushing your teeth or shaving until you are ready to rinse. You could saveabout 100 gallons of water a month.
Take a shorter shower or install a low-flow showerhead. You could save about 450 gallons a month.
Check for leaking faucets, toilets or pipes around the house to cut water waste.
Report open fire hydrants to local authorities
By following these guidelines, residents of Long Island can ensure that the increased daily demand does not put a strain on our groundwater wells and result in decreased water pressure for some areas.