What to Know
- Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties asked to conserve water voluntarily
- Follow an odd/even system, using water only on odd/even dates
- Exceptions are made for some plants, private wells, commercial usage and athletic fields
The heat is causing some New Jersey residents to change the way they use water.
New Jersey American Water announced Wednesday that they are asking customers in five counties to take additional steps to cutback on water use now to avoid possible restrictions later.
Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties are asked to adopt the voluntary off/even conservation request issued to Monmouth and Ocean Counties on July 15.
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“Our systems are currently operating normally at expected capacity, but we are seeing a steep increase in demands across these counties,” Tom Shroba, vice president of operations at New Jersey American Water said in a news release. “Adopting an odd/even schedule for outdoor watering will have minimal impacts on the individual customer but will provide a significant relief in demand on our source of supply.”
Odd/Even Guidelines
- Outdoor water use on odd-numbered days of the month if your street address is an odd number (i.e., 23 Oak St., 7 Maple Ave.)
- Outdoor water use on even-numbered days of the month if your street address is an even number (i.e., 6 Oak St., 354 Maple Ave.)
- Water early or late in the day to minimize evaporation
The company makes exceptions for plants that need daily watering, though they ask that customers wait until fall to plant new seeds. They also make exceptions for private wells, commercial use and watering athletic fields,
