Conservation-minded: Moses Lake water-saving measures soon take effect; city considers more regulations

Moses Lake City Council last Tuesday addressed water conservation, as mandatory watering days take effect Thursday.

In June of 2018, the Moses Lake City Council established July and August as mandatory water conservation months. As part of the ordinance, property owners with odd-numbered addresses can water on odd-numbered calendar days, and property owners with even-numbered addresses can water on even-numbered calendar days.

After an initial warning to violators, the city will charge a $100 fine for a second violation and $200 for a third.

According to the city website, Moses Lake provided residents 17 million gallons of water per day in the summer, requiring pumping equipment to run nonstop at all times. In 2017, the pumps were unable to maintain levels necessary for fire protection. Longer term, this level of water use drains the aquifer at a much quicker rate than it’s recharging.

For comparison, Moses Lake residents take an average of 4 million gallons per day in the winter and 7.1 gallons in the spring.

At pre-ordinance summer rates, the water supply couldn’t keep up, and the city is considering expanding conservation mandates even further.

“The forecasts are for summers to continue to get drier and hotter, and the continued influence on both the deep aquifer and shallow aquifer is becoming evident with use and availability of water, the depleting accelerating,” said city manager Allison Williams. “It is a good measure for us to consider potentially looking at an expansion.”

The council may decide to extend the mandate to several weeks or even months in coming years, as well as disincentivizing water use with increased rates, she said. “I, just personal practice, still do the odd-even throughout the whole year, and we still can keep a healthy lawn and still conserve,” said council member Karen Liebrecht. “I would like to see it extended a month before and a month after.”

Listed on the city’s website are simple ways to conserve water, such as watering the lawn during the cooler times of the day, leaving grass a bit longer to retain soil moisture, sweeping dirt instead of washing it and repairing any dripping faucets or running toilets.