Beaufort-Jasper Water Authority Encourages Staggered Irrigation to Combat Discolored Water and Rising Rates Amid Drought Conditions

Local Water Company Urges Staggered Irrigation to Prevent Discolored Water and Increased Rates

In response to increasing demand for water amid dry conditions, the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) has appealed to its customers to stagger their irrigation schedules. This recommendation emanates from a rise in irrigation needs that account for nearly half of the daily water requirement during these high temperatures months, BJWSA reported.

The Staggering Schedule

The authority suggests that no customer should irrigate on Mondays or between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. The following schedule has been proposed for the remaining days of the week:

• Customers with odd-numbered addresses should irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays;
• Those with even-numbered addresses on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Heightened Water Demand and Its Implications

Last Wednesday saw a whopping 35 million gallons of water used, alarmingly close to BJWSA’s capacity of 39 million gallons. Comparatively, the water consumption ranges between 13 to 17 million gallons during the cooler months of January and February.

Early last week, around 3,500 customers were drawing 600 gallons of water per hour each from BJWSA. Consequences of such heightened water pull could culminate in the occurrence of widespread discolored water, an issue BJWSA has started to observe, according to a spokesperson.

If conditions persist and the water pressure drops significantly, a boil water advisory may be issued. This situation could escalate to the extent that residents in higher elevated areas may lose access to water entirely, hindering services such as firefighting.

The Dilemma: Staggering vs Capacity Increase

BJWSA has two alternatives – either adopt the proposed staggering schedule or increase its capacity – neither of which is ideal. “If we had to build the infrastructure to make it possible for everyone to water simultaneously, that would be reflected in the rates. It would cost more,” explained the spokesperson. Thus, asking consumers to abide by this schedule forever would save customers from increased rates and undue pressure on the resources.

Better Landscaping with Staggered Irrigation

While the staggering schedule is designed to manage the water demand efficiently, it also brings benefits to the customer. Following this irrigation schedule can help landscaping flourish in the long term by allowing plants to acquire deeper roots and reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Such information is backed up by research from Clemson University, providing added incentive for customers to adopt the recommended schedule.

The request from BJWSA marks a responsible approach to address water demand, with ripple effects on overall public welfare and resource management.

Author: HERE Hilton Head