As part of Gov. Ned Lamont’s recent declaration of a statewide stage 2 drought advisory, the Regional Water Authority is encouraging consumers to use water wisely. The RWA is the public water supplier for Milford and Orange.
The lack of rain over the past two months has caused exceptionally dry conditions across Connecticut, resulting in several wildfires and reduced groundwater levels and stream flows. Although the RWA’s reservoir storage levels have remained above historic averages, there is a possibility that this emerging drought event could intensify if the dry conditions persist.
During this drought advisory, the RWA urges residents and businesses to take the actions recommended by the governor’s office in order to conserve water and aid in minimizing future drought impact, including:
- Shut down automatic outdoor irrigation systems.
- Minimize overall water use by fixing leaky plumbing and fixtures.
- Follow any future conservation requests issued by the RWA and municipalities.
The RWA says that it continues to closely monitor its water supplies. As of the end of October, the RWA’s reservoirs were at approximately 73 percent of capacity, compared with the long-term average for October of 66 percent.
“Connecticut’s water supply availability varies by community,” said Sunny Lakshminarayanan, RWA vice president of engineering and environmental services. “While our supply sources are currently adequate to meet the public water supply needs for our customers, to provide fire protection and to protect the environment, we want to mitigate the potential for more severe conditions. We thank our customers for always being mindful of their nonessential water use.”
The RWA encourages conservation year-round and offers online tips to help consumers reduce water use. For information, visit Water Wise Ways. Customers can also find the status of the RWA’s water supplies, including reservoir levels, online.