Water use spikes

COEUR d'ALENE — As temperatures soar, so does water use in Coeur d'Alene.

Kyle Marine, superintendent of the Coeur d'Alene Water Department, said the city pumped around 30 million gallons of water a day last week, and he expects it shoot up to 40 million gallons per day as the current heatwave continues.

The city can pump up to about 42 million gallons daily from its 11 wells.

"With the heat moving in, we're expecting to see maximum water use," Marine said.

It's a big jump from winter, when the city pumps around six to seven million gallons. The reason? Most of that summer water goes into lawns as folks try to keep the grass green.

The city encourages conservation and asks that residents water lawns either early morning or at night, and especially not in the middle of the day, when much of it will evaporate and go to waste.

"That would help us out," he said.

The city's Parks Department and the Coeur d'Alene School District use the most water as they have the most ground area. Residential is the city's largest user group in the summer, where it is seeing overall consumption doubling every five to seven years.

Marine said if there is an issue with meeting water demands, the Water Department will contact the district and parks department and ask them to cut back.

He said despite the increase in water use, the city doesn't plan to call for water restrictions. The Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer is its water source.

"As long as everything runs efficiently, we should be OK," Marine said.

Climatologist Cliff Harris said Wednesday's high in Coeur d'Alene was 102 degrees, tying the July 10 record set in 1965. It was 84 degrees at midnight.

He said a breeze from the Northwest helped hold the temperatures down just a little bit.

Harris expects mid-90s today and into the weekend.

"If we get this Northwest wind, we could be even a little cooler," he said.

Water is cheap in Coeur d'Alene, which is one reason residents don't hesitate to use a lot of it.

The current single-family rate is $1.12 per 1,000 gallons up to 30,000 gallons. It increases to $1.61 per 1,000 gallons from 31,000 to 50,000 gallons and $2.19 after 51,000 gallons.

Those rates are just a few pennies higher than two years ago. The city does rate increases annually in five-year cycles. 

In a recent letter, Marine outlined a few simple steps residents can take to conserve water. 

"Water is precious, and we need to be careful not to use more than we need," he wrote.

They include:

• Mowing lawns less often and letting the grass grow.

• Pay attention to the weather and water your lawn and garden when it’s dry, but don’t water them too much. 

• Make sure your irrigation system is working properly and not wasting water. Fix any leaks and adjust your sprinklers so they water your plants and not the pavement.

• Know your plants: Different plants have different watering needs. 

Marine said residents should think long-term.

"By conserving water now, we’re helping to protect our water supply for the future," he wrote.