SACO, Maine — Maine Water is recommending its customers use water wisely during this dry summer.
State officials and water utilities across the state are monitoring water supplies in view of the extended periods of lower rainfall this year, the company stated in a news release issued Monday.
“While there are no immediate concerns with any of Maine Water’s sources across the state in meeting customer demands, the company is reminding customers that careful water use is always prudent to protect valuable natural water resources and ensure their long-term sustainability,” the company said. “Wise water use also helps to avoid the considerable expense of developing new water supply sources, and ensures adequate supplies in storage for fire protection and other system demands.”
Maine Water serves about 100,000 residents in more than 20 communities in the state.
Rick Knowlton, vice president of operations for Maine Water, said simple measures can reduce water consumption and customers’ bills.
The release states 85 percent of a typical residential customer’s water usage is for toilets, showers, tubs and sinks. Among ways to conserve inside the home: run full dishwasher loads; set washing machine’s water level to match the amount of clothing being washed; wash cars with a bucket, rather than running a hose; peel fruits and vegetables before rinsing them; shut the water off when brushing teeth and take a shower instead of a bath.
In terms of outdoor water usage, Maine Water said the best time to water a lawn is early morning, water the lawn only when needed, restrict use of automatic sprinklers during periods of heavy rains, use an automatic shutoff device to prevent the irrigation system from operating during rainstorms or disable the timer and operate the system manually, position sprinklers to avoid watering pavement and sidewalks, use a solar cover on pools to minimize evaporation, use plants that require less water, use mulch as ground cover, use a soaker hose or trickle irrigation system in the garden, and water shrubs longer and less frequently since they have deeper root systems.