We had five days with temperatures of 90 degrees or higher in the month of June alone (there were none in all of 2023). At the end of June, the pond level was -0.77’ which was the 5th lowest level in the past 20 years. The evaporation this heat causes combined with the lack of rain has dropped the pond level to -1.37’ as of July 11th.

York’s sandy beaches and beautiful surrounding recreational geography make us a destination point for tens of thousands of people in the summer months. With our local population roughly tripling in the summer, it’s safe to say that most of those visitors are seeking weather conditions that are sunny and warm to fully take advantage of time spent on our scenic beaches and other outdoor activities. During these warmer months, it’s not uncommon to hear the phrase, “Well, we do need the rain” when inclement weather occurs or is predicted. Everyone knows we need rain in the summer, but most would prefer that it fall overnight, and definitely not during the day on a weekend!

Last summer we had more than enough rain and not enough sun. June was an especially wet month, and there was never a need to call for voluntary water conservation on non-essential water use in the Town of York as there had been the previous summer in 2022. Gardens were adversely affected, and many wannabe beach goers had to find other activities to pass their time. Locally, it was one of those rare summers when there was never a time when water wasn’t flowing over the dam at Chase’s Pond despite being the months of peak usage.

With limited, if any, rain in the forecast we are asking for voluntary water conservation efforts to be made. Here are some tips we shared last year:

• Avoid overwatering lawns. Aerating your lawn is a benefit that allows water to reach the roots using a lesser amount.

• Water garden plants only, when necessary either early in the day (before 9AM) or late in the evening (after 5PM) to avoid water loss by evaporation. Use a soil trickle hose not a sprinkler.

• If you have an irrigation system or are thinking of installing one, please consider...

  • A drip irrigation system. The water is slowly applied at ground level, which allows for better absorption, especially in clay soil.

  • Soil moisture sensors. Placed in the ground to prevent irrigation system from turning on when not needed.

  • Add a rain sensor. The system will shut off when it rains.

  • Be sure to adjust your watering schedule throughout the irrigation season, whether you have a manual or automatic system.

  • Routinely check the irrigation system for leaks.

  • Change the batteries in your system annually.

  • Use a manual hose bib timer. The timer connects to a hose and automatically shuts off the sprinklers after a certain length of time.

• GROUP: plants with similar watering needs

• KEEP: grass longer than usual to promote soil moisture retention and help develop deeper roots. Use mulch and dig troughs around plants to hold moisture.

• USE: a rain barrel or containers under downspouts to catch and use rainfall.

• AVOID: washing cars and other vehicles. Consider treating yourself to using a local carwash that recycles the water they use.

• Instead of using water to clean walkways, decks, or driveways, use a broom.

• Cover swimming pools when they are not in use to prevent evaporation.

• Consider delaying planting, seeding, and sodding.

Good water conservation habits should be practiced by everyone year-round, and the best time to learn these habits is when we are young. With the kids home for the summer, we’d also like to share these additional conservation tips which can be worked on together with your kids to start them on a path to a lifetime of good water conservation habits!

• Have a water bottle in the refrigerator especially for them so the faucet isn’t running waiting for cold water.

• Make sure the faucets are shut off tightly after each use.

• When brushing their teeth, make sure the water is off once the toothbrush is dampened.

• If they don’t finish a glass of water, they can water the household plants.

• If ice cubes are dropped on the floor, they can also be placed in a household plant.

• Fish tank water is nutrient rich and can be used to water non-edible plants when cleaning the tank.

• Teach kids to look for a toilet leak by placing a dye tablet or a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank to see if it comes through to the toilet bowl after about twenty minutes.

• Fill a bucket of water for washing bikes or scooters instead of having the hose run.

• When washing a bike or scooter, wash in an area that could use some watering.

• Instead of using the sprinkler to cool off, fill a kiddie pool.

Thanks to the kids of the YWD for helping conserve water! Summer is short, but these habits last a lifetime!