Conserving water is tool to fight drought

Just days after a state declaration putting 36 Pennsylvania counties on drought watch, the region saw some rain fall from the sky.

According to one backyard rain gauge observer, part of the area got a little more than 4 inches of rain last weekend, including a half-inch on Labor Day. The Reading area received another heavy dose of rain in the middle of the week. But none of it amounted to enough to alter the threat to local watersheds.

It’s just a drop in the bucket when put in the bigger picture. The state drought watch that includes Berks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery and Schuylkill counties persists.

The good news is that individuals can do something about it.

“We’re asking Pennsylvanians in all of these counties to use water wisely and follow simple water conservation tips to ease the demand for water,” said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh in the Aug. 31 drought watch announcement.

Berks and other counties in the region are on drought watch, along with others in central and northern Pennsylvania.

According to the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, which is a division of the National Weather Service, Montgomery County had the lowest rainfall total over the period of 90 days ending August 31 at about 60% of normal, with other counties in the area not doing much better.

Chester and Lancaster counties are near normal and not a part of the alert, showing the hit-and-miss nature of rainstorms.

Residents are asked to reduce water use by 5% to 10%, or a reduction of 3 to 6 gallons of water per day, as the protocol during a drought watch, officials said. The DEP noted that water suppliers or municipalities may ask residents for more stringent conservation actions depending on local conditions.

The department offered the following tips to conserve household water usage:

• 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.

• Water your garden in the cooler evening or morning hours, and direct the water to the ground at the base of the plant so you don’t waste water through evaporation.

• Water your lawn only if necessary. Apply no more than 1 inch of water per week (use an empty can to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch). Avoid watering on windy and hot days. This pattern will encourage healthier, deeper grass roots. Overwatering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought.

• When mowing your lawn, set the blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil, improving moisture retention. It also grows thicker and develops a deeper root system, so it can better survive drought.

• Check for and repair household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily.

• Sweep your sidewalk, deck or driveway instead of hosing it off.

• Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, frontloading models that use about 30% less water and 40% to 50% less energy.

• Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.

• Set up a rain barrel to be ready to collect and repurpose rain when it does fall.

Effects of climate change have made all of us more aware of building sustainability and saving rather than squandering resources. Droughts — defined as periods of time with little rainfall resulting in low stream flow and diminished groundwater levels — reinforce that awareness.

One dry spell can easily turn into lingering drought, even with sporadic rainfalls. Thus, managing water is a continuous job that affects our households, our businesses, and the quality of our lives. We need to do our part by practicing water conservation in small ways that make a big difference.