Apple Valley asks residents to cut water usage in half amidst drought

Kilat Fitzgerald KSTP

[MGN]

Drought conditions are spurring Apple Valley city officials to ask residents to reduce their water usage.

Citing measures within Minnesota’s Statewide Drought Program, city leaders say they will take steps to reduce water usage to 25% above January levels. This means reducing collective water usage from the current 8 million gallons of water per day to 5 million gallons per day.

The City of Apple Valley asked residents in a Facebook post to reduce non-essential water use by 50% in order to reach this goal.

Tips on reducing water usage include:

Allowing lawns to go dormant for the fall/winter
With the lawn watering season coming to an end, consider winterizing irrigation systems
Clean debris from driveways and sidewalks using a broom instead of a hose
Be mindful of water use while showering, brushing teeth, etc.
Sign up for WaterSmart to monitor water use

These measures respond to extreme drought conditions in the Upper Mississippi watershed.

More tips on water conservation from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources can be found here.