Summer in Texas has residents consuming a lot more water, and that could be a problem.
The City of Dallas announced Thursday that record temperatures across the area have led to a massive increase in water consumption. Two days earlier, on June 27, Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) clocked consumers using 655 million gallons, far more than the typical 380 million gallons used a day on average.
While water is one way to help combat oppressive temperatures, businesses and residents appear to be consuming water at an unprecedented rate, which officials warn could put extra stress on infrastructure and potentially lead to water mains leaking or breaking across Dallas.
Crews were deployed during the early-morning hours Tuesday to repair a water main break on the Interstate 35E service road near Mockingbird Lane, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“DWU currently has 18 crews responding 24 hours a day to water main breaks and leaks,” the City said in a release. “When a repair is underway, there may be intermittent service interruptions that will impact customers.”
Residents and businesses will be notified of these service interruptions via a note on the front door of a home or business.
To alleviate some pressure on the water lines, the City of Dallas instituted a water conservation ordinance, which is in effect until October 31. DWU said citizens and entities could help conserve water by adhering to the program schedule, reporting water main leaks, and signing up for watering advice and an irrigation audit.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Fort Worth predicted dangerous triple-digit temperatures earlier this week. The organization issued an excessive heat advisory on Wednesday, the hottest day of the week, with temperatures ranging from 100 to 109 degrees and heat indices as high as 115, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Meteorologist Sarah Barnes with the NWS in Fort Worth told The Dallas Express that DFW International Airport reached a heat index of 117 degrees this week.
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