Southwest Columbia neighborhoods encouraged to follow irrigation schedules

Columbia Water and Light officials are encouraging residents in certain southwest Columbia neighborhoods to follow an irrigation schedule this summer after water pressure dropped in that area in 2016, risking water contamination and unsafe firefighting.

“The reason we had the pressure drop in 2016 was because irrigation systems in the southwest were all set to go off at the same time,” said Lucia Bourgeois, a spokesperson for Water and Light. “When this happened, demand shot up and the distribution system could not accommodate that level.”

In a flier sent to southwest resident, city officials said the supply system is adequate to address normal water consumption and demand, but the unusually dry 2016 summer months caused people to water more often and at the same time. This caused the demand to shoot up, and the system couldn’t accommodate the levels.

Last summer, the city imposed the voluntary schedule and had no issues, although Bourgeois said it was in large part to due a milder summer, not necessarily participation in an irrigation schedule.

“We are still looking for effective ways to communicate the importance of public participation,” she said.

The plan is to have one side of a street water one night, and the other side will water the next night. Street addresses that end in odd numbers will water on odd nights, and addresses that end with even numbers would water on even nights.

Each street is assigned a certain time to water between midnight and 4 a.m. on its specific night.

Bourgeois said the irrigation schedule isn’t meant to be a quick fix for the neighborhoods to prevent boil advisories but is instead part of a larger plan to improve the way residents use and conserve resources.

“As a water-rich community I think we often take for granted that we do have a readily available supply of water,” she said. “There are lots of ways we can do a better job conserving water, and one way is through responsible irrigation practices.”

The southwest part of the city continues to grow rapidly, but Bourgeois said she couldn’t predict if growth would impact pressure or not.

“Current capital improvement goals include improving current infrastructure and restoring capacity,” she said. “Expansion is secondary to restoration.”

Former Fifth Ward councilwoman Laura Nauser lives in the affected neighborhood abd waters her lawn on odd days. She said she also thinks the schedule is a great way to conserve water, but it shouldn’t be the long-term fix for the water pressure.

“Even if it’s a permanent solution community-wide, it’s still not going to solve the fact that there isn’t enough water pressure and service out in this area as it continues to grow,” she said. “I think eventually they’re going to have to replace that water tower and run a new water main out to this part of this community,” she said. “