BOISE, Idaho — SUEZ is calling on all of its customers to use water wisely, as usage among its nearly 250,000 customers in Boise and Eagle has surged in 2021.
Company officials say during this unusually hot, dry summer, using water has never been more important.
So far this year, SUEZ customers have used nearly a billion gallons more than expected. In July alone, water use is up 15%, which is the equivalent of more than 13 million extra gallons a day.
The spike in water use is largely due to residents watering their lawns.
Katie Birkenstein is the Communications, Conservation and Education Coordinator for SUEZ. She says as canals start to run out of irrigation water, more people will be using city water to run their sprinklers.
"You can still have a healthy lawn and don't need to water more. Stressed lawns will adjust to the drier conditions and will come back next summer," she said.
Birkenstein says SUEZ generally sees a large gap between winter and summer water use because of irrigation needs.
Here are some ways to ensure your lawn stays healthy and your water bill remains reasonable:
• Only water your lawn 2 to 3 times a week.
• Never water during the heat of the day. When it's hot outside, lawns can experience a 50% water loss due to evaporation, wasting water and money.
• Ensure your sprinklers are hitting the lawn, not watering the sidewalk and street.
• Sign up for an online account to track your water usage.
Birkenstein wants to assure the public that SUEZ has plenty of resources to meet the needs of the community, but in times of drought, says we must all work to be good stewards of our water.
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