Grand Strand city asks for residents to limit water use amid severe drought
The City of North Myrtle Beach issued a release Wednesday asking residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve water amid South Carolina’s severe drought.
While not a mandatory conservation period, voluntarily reducing water usage can play an important role in protecting water resources during periods of drought, the release said.
Eighty-three percent of Horry County is experiencing an extreme drought as of May 26 compared to nearly 96% the week prior, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The state had its driest January through April on record since 1895.
The City of North Myrtle Beach encourages the public to take simple conservation measures, including:
- Limiting unnecessary water use
- Reducing outdoor watering and irrigation when possible
- Adjusting irrigation timers and avoiding watering during the hottest parts of the day
- Checking for leaks and repairing them promptly
- Turning off hoses and faucets when not in use
To offset the strong demand from sprinkler systems, the city recommends:
- Eliminate irrigating on Mondays
- Avoid irrigating between 6 and 9 a.m.
- Odd numbered houses irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- Even numbered houses irrigate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.