HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION

In 2019, DHCWSC delivered 8.1 million gallons of fresh water to our 105 active customers. Water demand was highly seasonal, with July, August, and September demand exceeding 1,000,000 gallons/month, whereas in January demand was 500,000 gallons/month. From 2017 to 2019 we saw a 19% increase in demand, largely due to seasonal irrigation and new construction.

The following chart illustrate our current water consumption.

2019 Water Consumption Chart

Well Depth Data

DHCWSC has three active wells whose capacity is heavily influenced by nature's past and present annual rainfall. Increasing water production is expensive and yield is not predictable.

The following chart illustrates our well depth data as of August 11, 2020.

August 2020 Well Depth Data

WATER RATES

Water Rates in Effect

We define exceptional consumption in excess of 10,000 gallons/month. Typically in July, 75% of the water is used by about 40% of the members, all of whom consumed over 10,000 gallons per month. Contrast this with January, when about 30% of the water is used by less than 10 members who consumed over 10,000 gallons/month. In order to encourage conservation, we increased water rates for heavy consumers in 2018. Click on Water Rate Chart below for a comparison of the 2017 and 2018 rates.

WATER RATE CHART

FOUR STAGES OF DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN

In case of drought, temporary restrictions may be instituted to limit nonessential water use.

The following are the four stages of the drought contingency plan that triggers communication from DHCWSC to its members:

STAGE 1: Member Awareness - Voluntarily limit use of water for non-essential purposes and practice water conservation.

STAGE 2: Voluntary Water Conservation - Achieve a 5-10% reduction in daily water demand and total water use.

STAGE 3: Mandatory Water Restrictions - Achieve a 10-20% reduction in daily water demand and total water use.

STAGE 4: Critical Water Restrictions - Achieve a 20-40% reduction in daily water demand and total water use.

TIPS AND LINKS

TIPS

Irrigation is generally responsible for over 50% of a household's water usage. Here are a few tips to help optimize irrigation:

Ensure there are no irrigation leaks.
Zone shady irrigation areas differently than sunny areas.
Shut off irrigation November 1 - March 1.
Install drip irrigation for beds (over 60% use reduction over sprinklers).
Water only 1 to 2 times per week up to 1" total.
Plant drought tolerant gardens.