Residents Asked to Modify Outdoor Watering to Get Better Rates

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Farmington Hills city officials are asking residents to limit water usage during peak demand times by changing their outdoor watering schedule.

Property owners with automated sprinkler systems are asked to follow the guidelines below. Compliance with the Voluntary Water Use Modifications will result in less water usage during peak times and help hold down costs by increasing the efficiency of the water system, the city said in a news release.

The new water tower is filled at night so that the volume in the tower can feed water customers during peak demand times and the city receives a substantially better rate from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD).

Under the voluntary demand management system, water users are asked to:

• Water residential and commercial lawns/landscaping and subdivision common areas between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. Experts recommend that lawns be watered closer to the morning hours so the lawn will have moisture during the heat of the day. Restrictions are for automatic sprinkler systems, not hoses or sprinklers connected to hoses. Please adjust automatic sprinkler timers so that irrigation is completed by 5 a.m.

• Shift sprinkler start times so they do not begin on the hour (start at 4:05 a.m. instead of 4 a.m.) There is a noticeable surge in demand and a resulting pressure drop for several minutes at the top of the early morning hours.

• Water lawns and landscaping for properties with even-numbered addresses on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

• Water lawns and landscaping for properties with odd-numbered addresses on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The city said it is complying with these guidelines and watering public areas in accordance with the restrictions. The Farmington Hills Golf Course and Founders Sports Park, however, are exempt from following these guidelines because they irrigate using water from drainage ponds that are not part of the city’s water system.

Farmington Hills is a customer of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which determines rates to suburban communities based on various significant factors that include maximum day demand and peak hour demand.

By shifting usage to non-peak hours and reducing spikes in the daily demand, water cost increases can be reduced. If you have any questions, call the Department of Public Services at 248-871-2530 or visit www.fhgov.com.

Photo by Robert Couse-Baker via Flickr