vlog Investigates: Water demand shot up day before lawn watering ban began, data shows
vlog Investigates: Water demand shot up day before lawn watering ban began, data shows
BO. THANKS SO MUCH. WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT CENTRAL IOWA WATER WORKS DECISION TO BAN LAWN WATERING. THE REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY TOOK THAT UNPRECEDENTED STEP ON JUNE 12TH, SAYING ITS NITRATE REMOVAL SYSTEM HAD BEEN UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. vlog INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SUZANNE BEHNKE IS HERE WITH SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS FOR US. SUZANNE, THANKS, BEN. vlog INVESTIGATES ASKED. WATER WORKS FOR DAILY USAGE NUMBERS BEFORE AND AFTER THE BAN, WE LEARNED WATER USE INCREASED. ON THE SAME DAY, WATER OFFICIALS ASKED FOR A 50% VOLUNTARY REDUCTION IN LAWN WATERING. ON JUNE 10TH, CUSTOMERS USED 65.3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER THAT DAY. ON JUNE 11TH, THE DAY OFFICIALS CALLED FOR A VOLUNTARY REDUCTION, USAGE WENT UP TO 73 MILLION GALLONS, AND THIS WAS ALSO THE DAY RESERVE SUPPLIES OF WATER WERE TAPPED TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. THEN, ON JUNE 12TH, WE SAW A DECREASE BACK DOWN TO 63.6 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER. NOW THESE NUMBERS REFLECT DATA FROM THREE OF THE DES MOINES WATER PLANTS. THEY DON’T INCLUDE WEST DES MOINES OR GRIMES. THE FLUCTUATIONS REFLECT WHEN WE’VE HAD RAIN OR COOLER TEMPERATURES THAT AFFECT LAWN WATERING, AND THAT’S STILL THE BIGGEST USE OF WATER. THE BAN IS STILL IN EFFECT NOW. DAILY USAGE NUMBERS ARE RANGING RIGHT NOW BETWEEN 40 TO 50 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY, AND IT’S AROUND 30%
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vlog Investigates: Water demand shot up day before lawn watering ban began, data shows
Central Iowa Water Works officials on June 11 asked its 600,000 residential and commercial customers to cut lawn watering by 50 percent.The regional water authority said it was concerned it would not be able to keep up with demand — not because of a water shortage but because of high nitrate levels in the two main sources, the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.The day of that request, water usage surged to 73 million gallons, nearly 8 million more than the previous day. To keep up, reserve supplies were tapped.That led to a ban on irrigating yards, which is the biggest use of water, officials say. As of June 24, the ban is still in effect.vlog Investigates asked for the daily water usage numbers. The following list shows the numbers for three Des Moines plants but do not include West Des Moines Water Works or Grimes, which are not yet connected to CIWW's system.Tracking daily usage numbers from Central Iowa Water Works:June 10: 65.3 million gallonsJune 11: 73 million gallonsJune 12: 63.6 million gallons; lawn watering ban imposedJune 13: 57.3 million gallonsJune 14: 49.5 million gallonsJune 15: 48.4 million gallonsJune 16: 51.3 million gallonsJune 17: 50.34 million gallonsJune 18: 49.9 million gallonsJune 19: 53.2 million gallons; most community splashpads turned back onJune 20: 52.6 million gallonsJune 21: 55.7 million gallonsJune 22: 57.1 million gallons Officials say fluctuations in usage reflect when there has been rain or cooler temperatures that affect lawn watering habits. Recent coverage of central Iowa water issuesCentral Iowa officials ban lawn watering to avoid potential 'water crisis'What are nitrates in drinking water and why Iowa officials are watching closelyLIST: Which Iowans are included in the ban on lawn watering?Des Moines shuts down spraygrounds as central Iowa cities work to conserve waterClive residents respond to lawn watering ban amid high nitrate levelsCentral Iowa landscaping businesses adapt to lawn watering banLawn watering ban still in place for more than 600,000 central Iowans; water usage drops by 30%Des Moines Water Works CEO links nitrate issue to farm fertilizersCommunities can reopen splash pads and spraygrounds, Central Iowa Water Works saysGet the Facts: How much water do West Des Moines data centers actually use?Splash pads turn back on one week later after new guidance from CIWWCentral Iowa water officials squash rumors that drinking water is unsafeCentral Iowa water quality experts say at-home nitrate test kits are unreliableMore Iowans considering at-home water treatment systems amid water quality concerns
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Central Iowa Water Works officials on June 11 asked its 600,000 residential and commercial customers to cut lawn watering by 50 percent.
The regional water authority said it was concerned it would not be able to keep up with demand — not because of a water shortage but because of high nitrate levels in the two main sources, the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers.
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The day of that request, water usage surged to 73 million gallons, nearly 8 million more than the previous day. To keep up, reserve supplies were tapped.
That led to a ban on irrigating yards, which is the biggest use of water, officials say. As of June 24, the ban is still in effect.
vlog Investigates asked for the daily water usage numbers. The following list shows the numbers for three Des Moines plants but do not include West Des Moines Water Works or Grimes, which are not yet connected to CIWW's system.
Tracking daily usage numbers from Central Iowa Water Works:
- June 10: 65.3 million gallons
- June 11: 73 million gallons
- June 12: 63.6 million gallons; lawn watering ban imposed
- June 13: 57.3 million gallons
- June 14: 49.5 million gallons
- June 15: 48.4 million gallons
- June 16: 51.3 million gallons
- June 17: 50.34 million gallons
- June 18: 49.9 million gallons
- June 19: 53.2 million gallons; most community splashpads turned back on
- June 20: 52.6 million gallons
- June 21: 55.7 million gallons
- June 22: 57.1 million gallons
Officials say fluctuations in usage reflect when there has been rain or cooler temperatures that affect lawn watering habits.
Recent coverage of central Iowa water issues
- Central Iowa officials ban lawn watering to avoid potential 'water crisis'
- What are nitrates in drinking water and why Iowa officials are watching closely
- LIST: Which Iowans are included in the ban on lawn watering?
- Des Moines shuts down spraygrounds as central Iowa cities work to conserve water
- Clive residents respond to lawn watering ban amid high nitrate levels
- Central Iowa landscaping businesses adapt to lawn watering ban
- Lawn watering ban still in place for more than 600,000 central Iowans; water usage drops by 30%
- Des Moines Water Works CEO links nitrate issue to farm fertilizers
- Communities can reopen splash pads and spraygrounds, Central Iowa Water Works says
- Get the Facts: How much water do West Des Moines data centers actually use?
- Splash pads turn back on one week later after new guidance from CIWW
- Central Iowa water officials squash rumors that drinking water is unsafe
- Central Iowa water quality experts say at-home nitrate test kits are unreliable
- More Iowans considering at-home water treatment systems amid water quality concerns