SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 01: A Sydney resident waters their garden using a hose without a trigger nozzle on June 01, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. The NSW Government has decided to enforce water restrictions from today to help slow a rapid decline in Sydney’s reservoirs and dams amidst ongoing drought. Dam levels in Sydney are currently at 53.6 per cent, only slightly above the formal trigger for level-one water restrictions of 50 per cent. As Sydney is experiencing some of its lowest inflows into its dams since the 1940s, the state government decided to introduce the restrictions earlier than usual. Sydney residents will be banned from using sprinklers and hoses on their lawns and gardens between 10am and 4pm. Hoses must also be fitted with a trigger nozzle that has an instant off switch. Fines for breaches will be $220 for individuals and $550 for companies – with a three-month grace period to allow people to adjust. (Photo by Jaimi Chisholm/Getty Images)
Residents of Bristol are being asked to limit the use of water outside after reservoirs dipped below the level that prompts a drought advisory.
The city’s reservoirs on Monday dropped to 68 percent capacity from the lack of rain and Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said the Bristol Water and Sewer Department issued voluntary water restrictions, effective immediately.
Customers are asked to limit the amount of outside water they use and follow the policy on odd/even watering, in which properties with an even street number water on even days of the month and the properties with odd street numbers water on odd days of the month, including for washing cars, watering flowers and any other non-essential outside uses.
A drought advisory is put in place once the reservoirs drop below 70, according to a news release from the mayor.
“Lack of precipitation across the state has required many water departments to enacted restrictions to their customers back in June,” Robert J. Longo, superintendent of the Bristol Water and Sewer Department, said in a statement.
“The Bristol Water Department has been working diligently since June to utilize all of our supplies and the work has helped us prevent restrictions up to today,” he added.
The mayor’s office said a drought alert goes into effect if the reservoir levels fall below 75 percent capacity anytime from July to December and an internal alert goes to staff of the Water Department to begin preparations for a drought.
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While the reservoirs have been over 75 percent since late July, the Water Department staff initiated the drought advisory in June to make sure all emergency procedures were in place well before needed, according to the mayor’s office.
“Water levels at all reservoirs and wells will continue to be monitored regularly to assure that the levels are stabilizing before mandatory restrictions would be required, however without some precipitation, mandatory restrictions are likely to follow,” Zoppo said in a statement.
Longo said the Bristol Water Department reached out to large water users, including the Parks Department, Public Works, Fire Department and the Board of Education to ask for their cooperation in reducing usage at their facilities.
Anyone with questions on the restrictions or the city’s water supply can call he Bristol Water and Sewer Department at 860-582-7431.
Information is available online on the Bristol Water Department website or on the Bristol Water and Sewer Department’s and Mayor’s Office Facebook pages.
