JACKSON, Wyo. — The Town of Jackson (TOJ) is asking locals and businesses to conserve water for the rest of the summer to ensure that the water system remains prepared for fire and other emergencies, according to a Tuesday press release labeled “urgent.”
Following the dysfunction and subsequent repair of a town well over the Fourth of July holiday, water use “surged dramatically above what it was before the holiday weekend,” TOJ shared, to the extent that the water system has been strained nightly between peak irrigation hours of 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
“While the system has enough capacity, these peak time periods, where demand surges, strain the Town’s ability to meet our community’s needs,” TOJ’s release states. “To ensure there is sufficient water available for household use, fire protection and other emergencies, our community needs to limit the frequency and duration of irrigation.”
TOJ is imposing the following restrictions for the rest of the summer. Town Council will discuss adopting an emergency ordinance at its Monday meeting, with the possibility of fines up to $750 per day, per violation. Note that the following rules apply to sprinkler irrigation for lawns and naturally landscaped areas, and do not apply to drip systems, hand-watering, flower beds, pots or vegetable gardens:
- If the house or building number is odd, irrigate only on odd numbered dates through October. If the house or building number is even, irrigate on even numbered dates through October. (For example: At address #4155, water on July 15, 17, and 19. At address #136, water on July 16, 18, and 20)
- On the allotted day, irrigate, at most, once every 24 hours.
- Limit watering time for each sprinkler zone to a maximum of 12 minutes.
- Set sprinklers to times outside of 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. to stagger the demand on the water system.
- Thoroughly inspect sprinkler systems, replace any broken parts or sprinkler heads, and ensure irrigation is as efficient as possible.
“We are in the hottest, driest weeks of the year,” TOJ stated, adding that last month was the ninth driest June on record for the county.
TOJ added that demand for its water system has increased by 20% in the last five years, and that the new wells under construction in West Jackson will help meet the need when they become operational next year.
