Toms River Asked To Conserve Water Amid Drought Watch

The sunny, warm, tourist-welcoming weather we had all summer has come at a price: the lack of rainfall has resulted in a drought watch being issued for 12 New Jersey counties, including Ocean County, state officials said.

Residents of the 12 counties -- Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union -- are being asked to take steps to conserve water, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said on Wednesday.

The drought watch was initiated due to a lack of rainfall that has resulted in decreased reservoir, ground water and streamflow levels in the three regions, Martin said.

“We have been carefully tracking precipitation, stream flows, groundwater and reservoir levels since the spring and over the course of the very dry summer,” Martin said. “While it is not uncommon to see reduced stream flows and groundwater levels by the end of the summer season, we are beginning to observe signs of stress in our water supply indicators, and this warrants closer scrutiny and public cooperation.”

“We are asking residents to be aware of the situation and use water more carefully and deliberatively, especially when it comes to lawn watering and other nonessential uses,” he said. ”The goal is to moderate water demand through voluntary conservation.”

Residents are being asked to do the following:

• Do not over-water lawns and landscaping. Two times per week for 30 minutes in morning or late evening typically is sufficient. Use a hose with a hand-held nozzle to water flowers and shrubs.
• Avoid watering lawns and plants during the heat of the day, as this promotes evaporation and water waste.
• Use a broom to sweep the sidewalk, rather than a hose.
• Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth and shaving.
• Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full.

If conditions remain warm and dry and water demands do not decrease, DEP will consider further regulatory actions, such as the designation of a drought warning, officials said. Under a drought warning, DEP may order water purveyors to develop alternative sources of water or transfer of water between areas of New Jersey with relatively more water to those with less.

“We advocate for conservation of water at all times. But responsible water use at this time is especially important,” said Dan Kennedy, DEP assistant commissioner for Water Resources Management. ”We ask that residents take voluntary steps such as limiting lawn and landscaping watering, and cutting back on water-related chores at home, such as car washing. This could save millions of gallons of water daily.”

For more state water supply status information, visit: www.njdrought.org/status.html.

For more information on water conservation, visit: www.njdrought.org/ideas.html

(Don‘t let water run freely from a hose right now, because of drought conditions in New Jersey, officials say. Image via Shutterstock)