Water conservation measures announced

The University has issued a water conservation alert asking students, faculty, and staff, as well as municipal, commercial, and residential water users, to voluntarily limit water use.

The alert was issued on Aug. 6 in compliance with the University’s water supply contingency plan, which asks system users to conserve water when stream flows in the Fenton River are reduced below specific levels.

This is a special trigger adopted by the University, based on environmental considerations.

The reduced stream flow in the Fenton River is due to dry weather conditions and low rainfall. The University has not pumped water from the well field since July 26, and only minimal daily summer withdrawals from the Fenton well field were made before that.

“It’s important to note that the University’s water supply is not taken from the Fenton or Willimantic Rivers themselves, but from groundwater aquifers that are located underneath the ground, adjacent to the river streams,” says Thomas Q. Callahan, associate vice president for facilities operations.

“The conservation alert was activated due to naturally occurring environmental conditions,” he adds, “not because of pumping, increased demands or concerns with the water system capacity. Because of recent system improvements, demand management measures, and greater operational flexibility, the University continues to have adequate water to serve UConn’s water system customers needs, both on and off-campus.”

Under the Water Conservation Alert, customers both on and off campus are asked to voluntarily:

• take shorter showers;
• run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads;
• not let water run continuously when washing dishes, shaving, and brushing teeth;
• avoid washing cars or power washing buildings;