NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Harpeth Valley Utilities District wants its residential customers to cut back on how much water they use because the company is nearing its water treatment capacity.
The utilities company serves more than 15,000 residential customers in southwestern Davidson County and Williamson County. They also provide water service for some area municipalities.
"It takes everybody doing this," HVUD spokeswoman Heather MacDonald said. "We do not want them to fill their pools and to make sure the dishwasher and the washing machine is full before using them."
MacDonald said the majority of water consumption comes from people watering their yards. The company is asking customers to limit watering their yards to once every five days and to water before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
Watering at those times can reduce the amount of water that evaporates before it is absorbed by the ground.
Customers are also asked to set sprinklers at a slow delivery rate to prevent run-off and to avid watering the street or sidewalk.
HVUD also said customers should make any necessary repairs to things around their homes that use water.
"A leaking faucet or a commode that's running take on a lot of water consumption," MacDonald said.
The Thurman family in Bellevue gets its water from the HVUD. They were playing in a kiddie pool Friday evening, but said because of the conservation notice they will make sure to cut back on usage.
"I can remember in 2007 we had a bad drought and had to conserve water," Chris Thurman said. "That seems to be the pattern when it gets hot and dry and we don't have a whole lot of rain we have to cut back."
The voluntary conservation will be in place until further notice. If water levels continue to decline the HVUD could implement a mandatory conservation order.
The utilities district is monitoring its water levels daily.
