With the intensive heat and harsher sun, citizens in Richardson are asked to conserve more water especially after maintenance of a water treatment plant according to a Community Impact article from July 18 which reports, 

“The North Texas Municipal Water District is requesting residents reduce outdoor water use because of unscheduled maintenance at a local treatment plant.

According to a press release, the NTMWD Wylie Water Treatment Plant Complex had to cease producing water July 16 at one of its four water treatment plants unexpectedly to perform critical maintenance required to return the plant back to full water purification capacity.

NTMWD officials said customers in the region are strongly encouraged to conserve water and reduce outdoor watering until further notice. The NTMWD supplies water to communities across most of Collin County, including Richardson, Frisco, McKinney and Plano. Other counties supplied by the NTMWD include Rockwall County, Kaufman County and parts of North Dallas.”

Aside from the limitation of irrigation asked by Richardson officials, the citizens are advised to help out with the conservation in other ways according to a Local Profile article from August 10. They report, 

“The city release specifically addresses the need to limit outdoor irrigation, which is the highest use of water during the dry summer months and recommends reducing landscape watering to two minutes per zone. It also advises there are other ways to help conserve water at home:

• Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.
• A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day, so it’s a good idea to check for leaks in your bathroom.
• Add food waste to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.
• Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
• Use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
  If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter.
• Lower pool water level to reduce the amount of water splashed out.
• Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when the pool is not being used.
• Detect and repair all leaks in hoses and irrigation systems.”

Despite the ongoing maintenance, officials are reassuring that the water is still safe to drink and use. However, the maintenance must resume strictly so as to address the ongoing heat wave that affected the water supply.