No spike in water usage, city says
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on April 1, 2008 1:46 PM
Exactly two weeks after city officials cut back on mandatory water restrictions, Goldsboro residents seem to be continuing to conserve, city officials said this week.
Public Utilities Director Karen Brashear said there hasn't been a significant change in water usage from March 18 -- the day City Council cut the Mandatory Water Restriction Ordinance from Phase III to Phase I.
Then, city residents were using about 4.19 million gallons a day, less than they did during the first two weeks of March.
A week later, water usage went up a small amount to 4.29 million gallons daily, mostly because those on the city's water system could again wash cars at home as well as water their lawns -- something they weren't allowed to do for several months.
But residents must have gotten all of their water-using energy out during that week since last week's numbers were down to 4.14 million gallons a day -- less than any other week in March.
City officials are glad that residents are not going wild with their water usage.
"Citizens have really done their part to conserve water," Mrs. Brashear said.
"And we really appreciate that they are still trying to conserve as much as possible," City Manager Joe Huffman said. "We are still in a drought."
Rain is expected throughout the rest of the week, and again, Huffman and Mrs. Brashear aren't complaining. But, they warn that even though restrictions were lifted a bit and Goldsboro isn't as bad off as some cities, the drought is far from over.
The Neuse River, the city's main water source, is down to 4.15 feet, according to U.S. Geological Survey data -- a low point for the month of March.
At the beginning of the month, the river saw 6 feet, then an increase to 13 feet around March 11.
Numbers look a little better upstream at Falls Lake, a contributor to the Neuse River.
The lake, though it has had its ups and downs, has steadily increased to 249.53 feet since the beginning of the month.