Southbury Water Conservation Aims To Help Ecosystem

SOUTHBURY, CT — The request for Heritage Village Water Co. customers and private well owners in the Pomperaug River basin to conserve water is aimed to help the river ecosystem during a critical growth period for several species.

The river reached a discharge level of less than seven cubic feet per second in late September, which triggered the third and final action level that strongly requests water conservation. The Town of Southbury has reduced its water usage by limiting town vehicle washes, irrigation at town facilities and conserving water at town hall.

The Heritage Village Water Co. gets its water supply from groundwater sources in the Pomperaug basin along with many private well owners and not the river itself, said Daniel Meaney, spokesman for Connecticut Water, which owns Heritage Village Water. Pulling from the basin can affect river levels.

The request for water conservation isn’t intended to protect the water supply, but to help wildlife.

“The request is intended to help safeguard the river and ecosystem that depends on it,” Meaney said. “Heritage Village Water continue to have adequate water supplies to meet the needs of customer, the community, and for public fire protection.”

The U.S. Drought monitor notes Connecticut is starting to see “abnormally dry” conditions in the state, which is the step below normal conditions.

Water usage among Heritage Village Water Co. customers typically begins to drop around Labor Day and continues to decrease until the growing season is over in late October, Meaney said.

Many fish species are searching for food and growing during the growth bio-period that runs from July 1 to Oct. 31. Low water flows in the area can stress fish in a number of ways, said Carol Haskins, executive director of the Pomperaug River Watershed Association.

Fish can have difficulty moving up or down the river when large patches become dry. Oxygen levels in the water can drop, especially in shallow areas where water has an easier time warming up, Haskins said.

“Any deep pools in the channel will become a bit of a refuge for many fish, which can lead to increased competition for food that also causes stress,” Haskins said. “The deep pools may also be subject to reduced oxygen levels if there isn't enough flow for the water to readily mix.”

Water usage from the basin was further reduced after Towantic Energy Center's water supply was switched to supplies outside the basin.

Heritage Village Water Co. offers the following tips on how to conserve water:

• Run full dishwasher loads
• Set your washing machine’s water level to match the amount of clothing being washed
• Wash cars with a bucket, rather than running a hose
• Peeling fruits and vegetables before rinsing them can save two gallons a minute
• Shutting the water off when brushing your teeth can save up to 10 gallons
• A bath can use up to 50 gallons of water, where a shower uses about half that amount
• The best time to water a lawn is early morning.
• Water the lawn only when needed, such as when footprints become visible.
• Restrict use of automatic sprinklers during periods of heavy rains. Use automatic shutoff device to prevent the irrigation system from operating during rainstorms or disable the timer and operate the system manually.
• Position sprinklers to avoid watering pavement and sidewalks.
• Use a solar cover on pools to minimize evaporation.
• Use plants that require less water. There are many varieties of low water plants that can withstand dry summers and actually thrive in drier soil.
• Use mulch as ground cover to reduce water evaporation in the soil while reducing weeds that compete for soil moisture.
• Use a soaker hose or trickle irrigation system in the garden.
• Water shrubs longer and less frequently since they have deeper root systems.