WYLIE, Texas — Temperatures across North Texas continue soaring. The heat has more people running outdoor sprinklers.
Water usage is becoming a hot topic across the region.
“We want them to turn their sprinklers off. Give it a break,” said Billy George, deputy director of water and wastewater operations with the North Texas Municipal Water District.
The agency supplies water to several communities across Collin County and northern Dallas County. Over the weekend, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) issued an advisory urging customers to begin water conservation efforts.
”It’s a significant request,” George said.
The call for water conservation comes after a maintenance issue at one of NTMWD’s water treatment plants in Wylie, Texas, which crews are working to repair.
“We have four water treatment plants on our Wylie complex. And while we can still produce the water that is needed for average flows, it’s those high summer demands when people are really using water outdoors that strains our ability to produce water,” George explained.
North Texas Municipal Water District is asking its customers to turn off automatic sprinklers and significantly reduce outdoor watering until further notice.
“Be mindful of what’s going on out there. Don’t waste water, letting it hit the sidewalks and going down the roads,” George added.
Using water wisely is also top of mind in areas like the City of DeSoto, about 40 miles south.
“Today’s subject is the importance of water conservation during a heat wave and drought,” DeSoto communications manager Matt Smith said as he introduced the issue on a municipal talk show.
The heat wave is driving high water usage. As conditions become more severe, the City of DeSoto already launched its drought management plan. The city is also using social media, urging neighbors to conserve water.
”This heat wave, this drought this summer, could be possibly as bad as what we saw in 1980,” explained Allan McDonald, field operations manager for the City of DeSoto.
Workers with North Texas Municipal Water District don’t have an exact date on when the repairs may be finalized. They’re urging the public to continue monitoring advisories.
For more information about ways to conserve, click here.