Oklahoma City is producing all the treated water it can at this time but water pressure remains poor in the northwest and southwest parts of the city.

Monday afternoon (July 11), the City of Oklahoma City declared a mandatory odd/even water rotation program for all citizens and other communities that use Oklahoma City water. The action was taken “regretfully,” in the words of Debbie Ragan of the city staff. The move came just two days after the city asked for voluntary rotation.

The program includes The Village, Warr Acres, Lake Aluma, Piedmont, Moore, El Reno, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Norman, Blanchard, Deer Creek water district and Canadian County District 3. The mandatory odd/even water rotation program begins immediately and continues until further notice, Ragan said.

Citizens whose house numbers end in even numbers are asked to water on even-numbered calendar dates. Likewise, citizens whose house numbers end in odd numbers should only water on odd-numbered calendar dates. The odd/even rotation program restricts the use of yard sprinklers and irrigation systems. Hand watering with a hose is allowed any day.

The severe drought is causing water demand to be extremely high and water pressure to be low.  The rotation program will reduce the amount of water used each day and low-pressure incidents that are unavoidable when everyone waters at once.

Low-water pressure can happen anywhere in the City.  However, those most likely to experience reduced water pressure are those who live at the far edges of the city.  As water is used along its way through the pipeline, the lower the water pressure will be for those near the end.

Ragan provided the following water-use tips to help ease low-pressure problems:

•               Avoid watering in between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. when people use the most water indoors.

•               Water the lawn only when it needs it and in the early morning or late afternoon.  Watering in the middle of the day allows most of the water to evaporate.

 

* Make sure the sprinkler is aimed at the lawn not the street or sidewalk. As Ragan put it in today’s release, “If you water when it’s windy, water will go everywhere but on the grass.”