Even though Wimberley residents continue to experience water restrictions, things have never looked brighter. Or should we say greener. It’s hard not to be just the slightest bit optimistic after above average rainfalls this year have plants and wildlife thriving. Very unlike this time last year.
The rainfall is nice, but is it enough to help raise the level of our underground aquifers to keep pace with the increase in Wimberley’s ever-growing population and water demand?
Aging infrastructure, over extraction of groundwater, and drought are contributing to water scarcity in Texas, and Wimberley is no exception. The Texas State Water Plan has concluded that “nearly 30 percent of our future water needs are expected to be met not by new water sources, but by the conservation of existing water resources”. So, what can we do to conserve this precious natural resource?
Here are just a few suggestions: - Take shorter showers. Showering accounts for nearly 17% of indoor water use. Get a shower timer and make five minutes or less of running water your goal.
- Turn off the tap when shaving or brushing your teeth to save up to 2,400 gallons of water a year.
- Wash only full loads of laundry, which can save an average household more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.
- Use the dishwasher only when you have a full load. If you must hand-wash dishes, plug the sink to reuse water.
- Here’s a new one for family use. It may not be a popular one, but here goes. Why flush EVERY time? Some say, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
Yes, the rain has been a welcome sight this year in Wimberley, but rain is not enough. The bottom-line is we need to conserve water, and harvest rainwater whenever possible to protect the life sustaining resource that is water.
