Water restrictions end Monday

Carson City's summer watering restrictions end Monday.

City Utility Operations Manager Tom Hoffert said the city's water system was stressed during the summer months, running at 21 million gallons a day. The system can produce 21.5 million gallons a day.

Since Sept. 15, water usage dropped to 16.5 million gallons a day, he said, allowing the utility to shut down a couple of wells.

With one dry year down, and an uncertain weather future, Hoffert said the city is looking at testing up to five new wells to put into production for next summer.

"We need to have more ground water wells to make ourselves more drought tolerant," Hoffert said.

It costs up to $90,000 to test a well, but Hoffert said he is trying new testing methods which could cut that cost in half.

Hoffert didn't have a final number of how many people were cited for water violations this summer. However, as of the middle of August, 4,000 area residents had been cited.

Hoffert said through the winter, utility officials will be working on new ideas for water conservation measures, which could include lowering the number of days in a week one can irrigate.

Under Carson's current watering systems, odd-numbered addresses are allowed to water lawns on odd days of a month. Even-numbered addresses water on even days. Watering is prohibited on the 31st of any month and daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

He said the utility is open to suggestions from residents on how to best conserve water. Call 887-2355 for information.