WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Despite a 26 percent population increase in residents from 1998 to 2018, the Lake Havasu City community has managed to come together and reduce per capita water consumption by approximately 24 percent in that same time. As drought and dwindling water supply has loomed over the Lower Colorado River communities, Lake Havasu City has made water conservation a top priority for our community.
The Colorado River system is in the midst of the worst drought, now dubbed a “mega-drought,” in the basin’s recorded history with Lake Mead having dropped some 130 feet in lake elevation since 2000. The increasing scarcity of our most precious resource has prompted Lake Havasu City to bolster water conservation efforts over the last two decades, and help the community achieve attainable conservation gains. The Lake Havasu City Water Conservation Plan details how Lake Havasu City has put conservation goals in place in the past, what goals the City is currently trying to accomplish, and future measures under consideration.
Key focus areas include:
- Encouraging the Lake Havasu City community to reduce landscape irrigation use. Currently, 60-70% of the community’s water use is going to landscape irrigation and pools! We can all greatly reduce our water footprint by choosing xeriscape-appropriate plants, following proper watering guidelines for our landscapes, and draining our pool water into the sanitary sewer where it can be captured and reused in our wastewater treatment system.
- Converting potable water irrigation to effluent. Increasing access to effluent, or treated wastewater, for Lake Havasu City customers remains a top priority to improve the City’s reuse efforts.
- Continuing educational outreach efforts to ensure our community is aware of our water resources, and the importance of conservation.
- Examining alternatives to conventional water softeners and reverse osmosis (RO) systems that produce far less water waste, or encourage reuse of water waste produced by such appliances.
HOW YOU CAN CONSERVE
Being aware of your water use is the first step you can take to start conserving. Water usage will vary greatly between different types of customers (i.e. residential versus commercial), the size of your property, the presence or absence of a pool, RO, or water softening system, and the type and size of landscaping. However, if you notice your water consumption increasing, or if you typically do not pay attention to your water usage, there is likely room for improvement. Please click the link below to view a an image slide show that has some tips and tricks for how you can conserve water on your property.