The Town of Aberdeen will ease its water restrictions beginning Tuesday morning, moving from mandatory restrictions to voluntary water conservation measures.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 18, the town will transition from Stage 1 Mandatory Water Restrictions to Stage 1 Voluntary Water Reduction under its Water Shortage Response Plan.
Under the voluntary stage, residents and businesses are being asked to reduce their normal water use by 5%.
The town is encouraging water customers to check plumbing, faucets and toilets for leaks and make repairs as needed. Residents are also asked to water lawns only when grass shows signs of withering and to limit watering of shrubs to the minimum necessary.
Landscape irrigation should be limited to no more than 1 inch of water per week and take place only between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Water should be applied slowly to reduce runoff and unnecessary water use.
The town is also asking customers not to use drinking water to wash driveways, sidewalks or other hard surfaces unless necessary for health or safety reasons. Clothes washers and dishwashers should be operated only with full loads.
Aberdeen officials said the town will continue monitoring water supply conditions daily and provide weekly updates as needed.