Summer heats up along with residential water usage in Blaine and Birch Bay

The city of Blaine and the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District have once again teamed up to encourage summer water conservation. 

The county-wide, voluntary Water Wisely Watering Schedule went into effect June 1 and will remain until September 15. The watering schedule breaks down water usage by weekday depending on a household’s address. 

Households with even-numbered addresses are asked to limit watering days to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Those with odd-numbered addresses are encouraged to limit watering days to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. 

All households are asked to withhold outdoor watering on Mondays to allow the reservoir to recover after high use during the weekend, according to the water and sewer district website.

Despite the three days of allotted watering per household, the city recommends using less – especially for turf grass, which needs about an inch of water a week to stay green and healthy. 

According to the water and sewer district’s data collected from Blaine water wells, which supply the Birch Bay community as well, residents use an average of 19 million gallons of water per week in the summer months. 

Water and sewer district general manager Dan Eisses said July 4 remains a peak of summer water use as people prepare for firework shows and lawn parties. Eisses said the celebrations on the bay get bigger every year. 

The voluntary watering schedule was put in place to prioritize water for daily needs and emergencies before residential outdoor use. But, as drier summer conditions become apparent in the yellowing lawns, more residents turn to water as a means of keeping their yards lush.

According to the water and sewer district website, outdoor water use – the majority of which goes to lawns and gardens – makes up 30 percent of the overall residential average of total water usage. The Water Wisely Watering system’s best practice for water-conscious lawn management recommends letting the grass go dormant over the summer months and relying on rainfall to stay alive.

More information about the watering schedule can be found online at bbwsd.com/water-wisely-watering-schedule.