UPDATED: Town of Waukesha Lifts Sprinkling Ban

Update, Aug. 10, 2012: The sprinkling ban in the Town of Waukesha has now been lifted.

As extreme temperatures and continue to plague southeastern Wisconsin, the Town of Waukesha has issued a no sprinkling ban.

“This ban is imposed because of the extreme drought over the past two months, which has caused concern for excessive water usage,” states the resolution passed by the Town Board.

Residents in the Town of Waukesha are prohibited from watering lawns and washing cars, according to the resolution. The ban does not apply to hand watering of flowers, trees, shrubs and gardens.

Meanwhile, the City of Waukesha enacted a sprinkling ordinance limiting lawn watering several years ago as it looks to implement conservation measures. Odd-numbered street addresses in the city may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays prior to 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Even-numbered street addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays prior to 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has received reports of private wells drying up in the extreme conditions. In addition to the extreme heat and lack of rain, an early spring and lack of snow last winter has contributed to the dry conditions, the DNR news release states.

DNR is encouraging everyone to conserve water during this drought. Tips on conserving water include:

• Reduce or eliminate watering of lawns and landscaping
• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use to discover leaks
• Fix leaky faucets, showers and toilets or replace with WaterSense labeled models
• Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth
• Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes
• Use rain barrels to collect rainwater for outdoor plants