Thirsty for more

COEUR d’ALENE — Last week, the city of Coeur d’Alene asked residents to ease up on water usage.

They didn’t listen.

“From monitoring the number of pumps running, and from what I saw this weekend, no one took heed of last week’s request to conserve,” wrote Coeur d’Alene Water Department Director Terry Pickel.

That could lead to mandatory water restrictions, which haven’t happened in Coeur d’Alene in Pickel’s 16 years with the city.

And it’s only early July, with more hot, dry days ahead.

“If the heat continues, which looks likely, and customers don’t cut back or we lose a well, I would have to enact an emergency ordinance or resolution to restrict watering to odd/even days and no watering between noon and 6 p.m. which could include fines,” Pickel wrote. “I don’t want to do that so I hope customers will realize the situation and voluntarily help us out.”

He said the city pumped 39.8 million gallons Thursday which exceeded its peak day last year of 37.4 million gallons on Aug. 5. Its maximum capacity is 43.8 million gallons per day.

In the winter, the city averages around eight million gallons per day.

Much of the summer water goes toward keeping lawns green.

“Our total residential consumption has nearly doubled in the past 5 years,” Pickel wrote.

He said schools, parks and many commercial facilities have separate irrigation services, and that usage has increased by one-third in the past five years.

The city came close to water restrictions in 2013 but was able to get a damaged pump back into service just before the July hot spell hit.

If it comes to mandatory restrictions, enforcement would be another challenge.

Pickel said the water department does not have the manpower to patrol streets and check to see who's running sprinklers. Instead, it would end up relying on neighbors and code enforcement’s help.

“Fines would certainly be included, probably up to $500,” he wrote. “Usually only takes a few of these to spread the word in the community. Hopefully, education which is our preferred method, would suffice.”

He said recent conditions — triple-digit temperatures — have put a strain on most water systems in the area.

Conservation is critical because increasing water supply is difficult.

Pickel said it takes nearly three years to construct a new water source. The city is building a well that's expected to be finished later this year.

“It is getting exceedingly difficult to keep ahead of growth,” Pickel said. “And it seems that summers are getting longer, dryer and increasingly hot.”

Only thing is certain.

 “Lawns are going to get a little brown this year,” Pickel wrote.