Okatie, SC (March 1, 2021) – As they did in 2020, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) is employing a voluntary irrigation program to alleviate usage during peak hours and ensure public safety. This move comes as the tourist and growing season puts higher demands on water supply during peak hours. These high demands can result in reduced water pressure in the distribution system and low levels in water storage tanks, both of which adversely affect the performances of fire hydrants and other fire suppression facilities.
Customers with even-numbered addresses are asked to irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from midnight to 2 am or from 9 am to noon. Those with odd-numbered addresses are asked to irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Mondays are reserved as “no irrigation days” to accommodate for the very high water demands that are typically experienced specifically on Mondays.
The guidelines were developed in cooperation with Clemson Extension Service in order to ensure that lawns are being watered at appropriate times for health and growth.
Director of Field Operations Andy Mattie states, “Collaboration with the Clemson University Extension Service helped us develop a plan to strike a balance between the irrigating needs of our local landscapes and the operational needs of our water system. We encourage customers to implement these new irrigation usage times, which allows our water storage tanks to fill and also smooths out peak daily water usage demands that put significant strains on the water system. We had excellent response in 2020, and we’re expanding our reward system with bill credits for participants from May to September.”
Customers are also encouraged, at planting time, to avoid landscaping on hydrants and meters, as they impede the use of these important pieces of infrastructure and fire suppression. Additionally, BJWSA customers may track their usage with the Eye on Water app, and may sign up at www.eyeonwater.com/signin.
For more information, go to https://bjwsa.org/water-use/ or call 843-987-9200. The mission of BJWSA is to inspire trust and enhance public health.
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