A Water Message from Julia J.
Hunt, P.E.
Director, Arlington Water Utilities
Drought Update
Over the last few months, we've experienced
10.53" of rainfall. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor,
Tarrant County is no longer in drought conditions as of February 21,
2012. Tarrant Regional Water
District (TRWD) is Arlington's raw water supplier. TRWD and
its wholesale customers have taken a conservative approach on
lifting drought restrictions for two reasons:
In the winter, your landscape does not
require significant watering. Watering once every three
weeks is sufficient in the winter.
There is still a possibility of another hot,
dry summer with drought conditions.
Did you know that most of Arlington's water
supply comes from two reservoirs 80 miles southeast of our city?
These are Richland Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs. These
two reservoirs are still 3 feet below normal. Here is a recent
article on drought conditions:
Drought Not Over |
MyArlingtonTX.com
A dedicated webpage has been created to provide the most
up-to-date information on the latest drought situation in addition
to water saving tips, articles, and how-to videos. You can
also find more information on your specific watering days. The
webpage can be found at:
http://www.arlingtontx.gov/water/waterconservation_drought.html
Prepare Your Sprinkler System
It is the time of year to start preparing your
landscape and sprinkler system for the upcoming summer. Use
the tips below now to save water and money during the hottest months
of the year.
Conduct monthly inspections to identify and
adjust any sprinkler heads that are spraying water on the street
or driveway. Run every zone of the sprinkler system for 2
minutes and make necessary repairs and adjustments. At
minimum, this sprinkler check should occur at the start of
spring and again in mid-summer.
Only operate water sprinklers before 10 a.m.
or after 6 p.m. to reduce evaporation.
Adjust the watering schedule with the seasons
and only water 1 inch every 5-7 days during the heat of summer
and 1 inch every 3 weeks in winter.
Consider keeping the two day drought watering
schedule should Stage 1 watering restrictions be lifted. A
majority of all landscapes can survive and thrive with just two
days of watering during the hottest months of July and August.
For maximum efficiency, use the multiple
start times on your irrigation controller and change the setting
to run for 8 minutes, let it soak in while all the other zones
are finished watering, then start another watering event for 7
minutes. By practicing the "cycle and soak" method more
water is being absorbed into the soil and root zone and less
water runs into the street.
Install a rain and freeze sensor to
automatically turn off the sprinkler system during rain events
and freezing weather.
Convert landscape bed irrigation zones to
drip irrigation. Drip irrigation directly applies water to
the plant root zone for maximum efficiency.
Please mark your calendar for these Upcoming
Water Conservation Classes
To work efficiently, an irrigation system requires, at the very
least, an annual check-up. An inefficient system may waste as
much as 50% due to minor problems that are easy to fix. This
class will provide step-by-step instruction on how to perform an
irrigation check up as well as how to make minor repairs and
adjustments. Information on how to select a licensed
irrigation professional for larger more complicated jobs will also
be presented.
The City of Arlington appreciates your commitment to conserving
water and we encourage you to save water and money by changing your
water use habits today.
For more information about this message, send us an e-mail at
water@arlingtontx.gov
or
call 817-459-6600. Together, we can ensure a reliable water
supply for future generations.
Watering Nixed Ten to Six Year-Round
Year-Round Watering Restrictions 10am - 6pm Except for hand watering and
the use of soaker hoses, it shall be unlawful for any person to
irrigate, water, or cause or permit the irrigation or watering of any
lawn or landscape located on premises owned, leased, or managed by
that person between the hours of 10:00AM and 6:00PM.
Rain
and Freeze Sensor Requirements (1)Effective January 1, 2007 all irrigation systems
installed within the City must be equipped with rain and freeze
sensors in number and type established and published by the Director
of Utilities. This requirement applies
to all commercial and residential properties.
(2) Any irrigation system installed before January 1, 2007, may not be
operated after March 4, 2007 without being equipped with rain and
freeze sensors in number and type established and published by the
Director of Utilities. This retrofitting
requirement does not apply to a
single family residential or duplex property, or an individually metered townhome or condominium unit.
The above amendments were approved by City Council on November 28,
2006. Violations of the ordinance can result in fines up to
$500.
Toilet Leaks High water bills are often caused by leaking
toilets. Learning how to detect and test
for toilet leaks can save you money. Read more...
Aquarium Care Tips Since March 1984, the City of Arlington has been using chloramine
to disinfect its water. However, chloramine is harmful to fish
and must be removed before water is added to an aquarium.
Read
more... (pdf)
Water
Fluoridation Recently, there has been some discussion in
the news media on the connection between
drinking bottled water and tooth decay. Many
bottled water brands do not contain fluoride.
Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. Some home
treatment devices also remove fluoride from tap
water. Read
more... (pdf)
"White Particles" or
"White Paper" in Shower Heads or Faucets
The Water Utilities Department receives calls from customers
concerning white particles or things that look like white pieces of
paper clogging plumbing fixtures. Read
more about White Particles
Fat, Oil And Grease. Don't Get
Clogged! Avoid Sewer Problems and
find useful information on how to prevent
sanitary sewer blockages. Read
more.
Conservation Tips
Arlington Water Utilities offers tips on
conserving water. By following these steps
you can save money on your monthly water bill,
and more importantly, learn to use water wisely.
You and your family can do your part in
conserving our most valuable resource, water. Learn
conservation tips
Water Rates Each year the
water and sewer rates are revised to
insure that adequate revenue will be
generated to cover projected costs.
Some of the major costs incurred are:
- to purchase
untreated water,
- to obtain
sewage treatment services from the
Trinity River Authority (TRA), and
- to cover our
debt service. Read
more.
Water Hose
Safety You might be thinking of using
your water hose to spray for bugs or fill your pool, but did you know
that you may be doing something that could be hazardous? Read
the recommendations.
Sewer
Problems, Call Us First
To
report suspected main breaks, water leaks, sewer overflow, or water
contamination please call the
24 Hour Emergency ServiceHotline at
817-459-5900.
Learn more...
View or
Pay
your water bill online using your
bank account (check by phone) or your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover
debit/credit card. You may
also set up automatic monthly recurring
payments.
Year-Round Watering Restrictions 10am - 6pm
