The City of Grand Junction has implemented mandatory restrictions on outdoor water use. In August, city water users will be allowed to water outdoors three days a week, two days a week in September, and only one day a week in October.
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports indoor water use will be unaffected.
Randi Kim, the city's utilities director told the Sentinel low water levels in area reservoirs coupled with an extended drought and continued warm conditions prompted the restrictions:
"What we don't want is if the drought continues and we don't have the runoff in the spring, we'd be tapping into our water reserves," Kim said to the paper. "We want to be sure we have enough water to carry over into the next year."
Outdoor water restrictions will remain in place through irrigation season, unless conditions improve.
Around 9,700 water users are served by Grand Junction. The city says it delivers around 9 million gallons of water per day during irrigation season, and 3 million gallons per day otherwise.
