City Will Urge People Once Again to Conserve Water

By: Owen Jensen - Email

Updated: Fri 10:01 AM, Aug 03, 2012

"When Lincolnites see a need, they usually step up to the plate."

--Andrew Campbell, Campbell's Nurseries, on Lincoln's goal of conserving water

Water, water, everywhere? Not these days.

On Friday morning, city officials in Lincoln will once again implore the public to conserve water on a voluntary basis.

They will be holding a news conference, just as they did last week,
to get people on board, to use less water outside, for watering grass and plants. Right now, around 40 percent of total water usage is going toward those kinds of activities.

The city's goal: keep water usage down to 65 million gallons a day citywide. Signs along busy streets ask people to do their part.

However, that goal has been elusive at times. For instance, on Wednesday, 73 million gallons were used across the city. That's 8 million over the requested level on just one day alone.

With drought conditions hitting hard, every drop of water counts.

Right now, the city is in a voluntary water conservation mode, but it could turn to mandatory measures sooner rather than later.

But many are hopeful Lincoln residents will do their part to cut back even more. "When Lincolnites see a need, they usually step up to the plate," said Andrew Campbell, of Campbell's Nurseries.

Campbell, an expert in outside irrigation, specifically with plants and grass, will attend the news conference Friday.

He also believes if mandatory restrictions come along, it will help the city work together.

Meanwhile, the long, hot, dry summer continues to be one of the worst on record.

For more details, watch Owen Jensen's report.

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