Water Restrictions

Hickory and the entire Catawba-Wateree group continues its current water restrictions, despite recent rains in some cities along the Catawba River Basin

HICKORY – The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) today recommended its members continue with the current water restrictions as the Catawba-Wateree Basin remains in a Stage 3 drought. Hickory is a member of the CW-DMAG, and Hickory, along with communities in the Greater Hickory Metro adhere to the recommendations.

The Cities of Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton, Conover and Claremont, and the Towns of Granite Falls, Valdese, Long View and Maiden, as well as customer water systems including water corporations in these areas will continue with their existing water use restrictions. These restrictions are in effect for any customer who receives a utility bill from these systems or systems they provide water to and will be in effect while the Catawba River Basin remains in Stage 3 LIP drought conditions or until drought measures change and public water suppliers feel it prudent to modify the restrictions.

“Despite the recent heavy rains in the Hickory area over the last couple of weeks the Catawba River Basin as a whole continues to be in a Stage 3 drought,” said City of Hickory Assistant Public Services Director Kevin Greer. “The rains we have received are very welcomed, however stream flows and ground water levels continue to be below normal and the lake storage has depleted some as expected with hotter temperatures.”

“Weather forecasters continue to predict a drier than average summer and it is prudent that our customers continue to follow the water restrictions,” added Greer. “We appreciate and thank our utility customers for their amiable response and heeding the request for water use restrictions.”

The restrictions as of July 10, 2008 are as follows:

Residential Car Washing

Vehicle Washing is allowed one day per week with use of a manned hose, a spring-loaded nozzle and bucket.
Old or failed spring loaded nozzles should be replaced to ensure that the minimum amount of water necessary is used.

Pressure Washing

1. Residential - pressure washing by a citizen on his/her property is allowed one day per week with the prior notification to and approval from the responsible water provider. Residents will be required to provide the date, time and address where pressure washing will occur.
2. Commercial and/or Contractor Performed - Commercial businesses and/or Pressure Washing Contractors are allowed to perform pressure-washing projects with prior notification to the responsible water provider. Businesses/Contractors will be required to provide the date, time frame and address for each project they intend to perform.
Lawn Irrigation

Customers will be allowed to irrigate or water lawns one day per week between the hours of 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. OR 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. based on the following schedule:

Customers with addresses in NE and SW Hickory, including Mountain View, and customers in the Sherrill’s Ford Community and Town of Catawba will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Fridays.
Customers with addresses in NW Hickory and the City of Conover, City of Claremont, and Town of Maiden will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Saturdays.
Customers with addresses in SE Hickory, Alexander County and Icard Township Water Corporation service area will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Sundays.
Customers in the Town of Valdese and the City of Morganton with odd-numbered addresses will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Saturdays.
Customers in the Town of Valdese and the City of Morganton with even-numbered addresses will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Sundays.
Customers in the City of Lenoir, Town of Granite Falls and Town of Longview will be allowed to irrigate lawns on Saturdays.
Athletic Fields will be allowed to irrigate one day per week as well. A schedule must be approved with the water provider.
All lawn irrigation should be performed in a responsible manner and in no event should irrigation exceed one inch per week including any rain received.

Swimming Pools – Commercial and Residential:

New pool construction may be completed and filled one time for testing and warranty.
Leaks in existing pools must be patched or repaired to the extent possible. All leaks must be fixed.
If liner requires replacement due to leakage, the Owner or Contractor must notify the responsible Water Provider prior to work being done. The liner may be replaced upon approval of the Water Provider, may be filled one time for setting the liner and testing.
All new pools, liner replacements or major maintenance will require the pool to be equipped with a solar blanket or manufacturer recommended cover.
Pool cover must be in place over pool while pool is not in use.
Owners may maintain water level so to avoid structural or mechanical damage to pool between the hours of 7 a.m. to 11a.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. No more water than absolutely necessary shall be added.
Owners must provide an inspection report, from homeowner or contractor, for the pool detailing any leaks evident and repaired or that no leaks exist.

Ornamental Fountains:

Ornamental water fountains dependent upon Municipal Water must be turned off.
Ornamental water features with existing aquatic habitat may be operated at minimum level to support health of inhabitants.
No new or replacement inhabitants may be added to features.
Ornamental water features, which do not support aquatic life, must be turned off.

Landscape Watering (Trees, Flowers, Shrubs and Vegetable Gardens):

Trees, Shrubs, Flowers and Vegetable Gardens may be watered between the hours of 7am to 11am or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Minimum amount of water necessary shall be used.
Watering must be performed with a manned hose equipped with a spring-loaded nozzle, drip line or soaker hose.

The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) was formed to regularly review the drought status and to recommend and coordinate needed actions for the Groups’ members. It also reviews the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) and recommends possible improvements to Duke Energy. The CW-DMAG meets regularly to discuss the current drought conditions and will continue to meet to monitor the situation. CW-DMAG members include the area’s public water suppliers and several large industrial users that withdraw water from the Basin, NC and SC agencies, the US Geological Survey, and Duke Energy. The CW-DMAG and the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) are outcomes of Duke Energy’s relicensing process for the Catawba-Wateree Hydro Project. The LIP will become part of Duke Energy’s New License for the Project to be issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Hickory kicks off “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” campaign on February 1 Your Catawba

HICKORY – The City of Hickory official kicks off its “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” water conservation campaign on Friday, February 1 in hopes of citizens’ forming new water conservation habits that they will keep for a lifetime.

The “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” water conservation campaign includes a Water Conservation Challenge, Water Conservation Website, Water Conservation Media Campaign, Water Conservation Challenge with Schools, Water Conservation Booth during Festivals, Water Conservation Displays, and a Water Conservation Speaker’s Bureau.

The goal of the “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” Water Conservation Challenge is to engage citizens in tracking their monthly water usage and encourage those who are not conserving water, to conserve water and those who are conserving a little bit, to conserve more. To participate in the Water Conservation Challenge, go to www.hickorygov.com and click on the “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” logo. Citizens/businesses will need to enter an address and name, include the number of people in a household/business and the number of gallons used that month, and there will also be a list of questions to answer.

The Challenge begins on February 1 and continues until December 31, 2008. Utility users will track water usage each month and are encouraged to conserve at a Bronze, Silver, or Gold level. On average, a household uses 5,700 gallons of water per month. Below are the Water Conservation Challenge goals.

Bronze                          20 percent reduction            450 gallons per month per person
Silver                            30 percent reduction            650 gallons per month per person
Gold                             40 percent reduction            900 gallons per month per person

For example, if a household of two uses 5,087 gallons a month, the household of two will need to conserve 900 gallons a month (450 gallons per person) to reach the Bronze category. Households in the Bronze and Silver categories will be recognized for their efforts and households in the Gold category will be recognized for their efforts and entered in a drawing to receive a framed conservation poster. Challenge participants that conserve the most water and/or have unique water conservation tips will be spotlighted in the monthly City Snippets.

In March 2007, the City of Hickory, utility operators along the Catawba River Basin and Duke Energy entered into a Stage 0 Low Inflow Protocol (LIP), which meant that water levels on the Catawba River were decreasing due to lack of rainfall. Stage 1 LIP was declared in July 2007 and currently the City of Hickory and other organizations who distribute water from the Catawba River Basin are in a Stage 3 LIP. Due to the recent rain and snow, Duke Energy predicts that the area would not go into a Stage 4 until August 2008, but things can change if the weather becomes drier and temperatures are higher than normal in the spring and summer. If a Stage 4 LIP is declared, some restrictions include a complete ban of all outdoor water use along with restrictions on other uses. In Stage 4, businesses will be asked to conserve water in their operations and the City will work closely with the top 10 water users to develop a conservation plan.

“We have good customers who have been paying attention to the drought situation and between August and December 2007, there was a 45.7 percent reduction in water usage,” said City of Hickory Assistant Public Services Director Kevin Greer, who oversees Hickory’s Public Utilities. “We hope that the ‘Your Catawba – Use it Wisely’ water conservation campaign will not only reduce the amount of water being used, but create new habits of water conservation that will last a lifetime.”

For more information about “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely,” or if you would like someone to make a presentation to a school, civic club, or other organization about water conservation go to www.hickorygov.com or call (828) 323-7500.

Click here to enter the challenge this month!

...........................................................................................................................................................

Catawba-Wateree DMAG Praises Conservation Efforts by Area Water Customers (July 14, 2008)

Drought Management Advisory Group Maintains Current Water Use Restrictions (July 10, 2008)
Water restrictions modified to allow water use one day per week for car washing ( June 6, 2008)
Drought Management Advisory Group Concerned about Worsening Drought Conditions (June 25, 2008)
Protect the Catawba Coalition Press Conference (May 1, 2008)
Hickory modifies water restrictions (4/3/2008)
CATAWBA-WATEREE DROUGHT MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP (03/18/2008)
water suppliers explain pool and fountain restrictions in Stage 3 drought conditions (03/14/2008)
Hickory kicks off “Your Catawba – Use it Wisely” campaign on February 1 - (January 30, 2008)
Hickory City Manager shares water conservation tips he learned growing up in Nevada - (January 30, 2008)
Water Restrictions Update - PRESS RELEASE (10/19/2007)
Water Restrictions Update - PRESS RELEASE (10/01/2007)
Water Restrictions Update - PRESS RELEASE (9/24/2007)
Water Restrictions Update - PRESS RELEASE (8/31/2007)
Water Restrictions Update - PRESS RELEASE (8/27/2007)

According to the Hickory City Code, community athletic associations, golf courses and similar customers whose use of water to irrigate large areas in community and business water use may submit a plan for approval by the Hickory Public Utilities Department allowing alternatives to the water conservation controls imposed by a water shortage declaration. For more information or to submit a plan, contact City of Hickory Public Services Assistant Director Kevin Greer, PE at (828) 323-7427.

If customers have any questions or concerns, please contact the City of Hickory Public Utilities Department between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm at (828) 323-7427.

To report violations, please submit a Citizen Action Request.

Tips from Duke Energy Carolinas on how to save energy:

Duke Energy Press Release - 7/3/2007
http://www.duke-energy.com/north-carolina/savings/summer.asp
http://www.duke-energy.com/north-carolina/savings/energy-efficiency-videos.asp
http://www.duke-energy.com/north-carolina/savings/tools.asp