Garden State Utility Calls For Conservation

Some Garden State residents are being asked to water their plants and trees sparingly this month after a hot, dry summer sparked concerns about the water supply in New Jersey.

“With its three reservoirs along the Hackensack River now down to a combined 45 percent of capacity, United Water is asking North Jersey residents to voluntarily conserve water. Allendale officials imposed stricter water rationing measures, saying the borough’s well system is ‘severely stressed.’ And the four towns that use the Ridgewood Water system have been on mandatory conservation for weeks,” The Record reported.

United Water appears to be targeting outdoor watering, especially sprinklers.

“We see no rain in the immediate forecast, so we’re calling on customers to voluntarily restrict their use,” said Steve Goudsmith, a spokesman for United Water, per the report.

“Lawn systems can account for up to 50 percent of a home’s water usage,” he said. “Grass will bounce back once we get some rain.”

David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist, explained the conditions in his state.

“The stream flow is quite low, the groundwater is falling, the precipitation has been definitely sub-par, but nothing of record-breaking proportions,” he said, per the Asbury Park Press. “Temperatures have been warm, but not especially warm, but you put it all together and it puts us in a bit of a predicament and certainly has our guard up. The point is that all the pieces have come together to lead us to a situation that warrants attention.”

Supply problems are not the only challenges plaguing New Jersey. Infrastructure is also a top concern. New Jersey needs $40 billion to bring its water infrastructure into modern times, but nobody knows where to find it, NJ Spotlight reported.

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