Water conservation urged in Greenville, parts of Pickens and Anderson counties

People whose water comes from Lake Keowee are being urged to use less water, with officials declaring the Keowee-Toxaway River Basin to have entered into Level 2 drought status.

Stage 2 is the third if five drought stages outlined in the water management plan for the area that draws water from the Duke Energy-owned reservoir.

Residents who live on Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee who draw water from the lake for irrigation must limit their watering to two days a week — Tuesdays and Saturdays — under the declaration of the Keowee-Toxaway Drought Management Advisory Group.

Voluntary water conservation is being urged by officials of water systems that use Lake Keowee as a source.

“It will affect a small portion of our customers,” said Dyke Spencer, executive director of the Powdersville Water District. “We’re going to try to preach conservation to our customers regardless of who provides us water.”

Powdersville Water customers in the Dacusville area are the only ones whose water comes from Keowee, he said. The system has two other water suppliers, with most of its water coming from Easley, which doesn’t use Keowee as a source.

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Seneca is the only city that uses Lake Keowee as its sole source, but Bob Faires, director of utilities there, said he thinks the natural reduction in water use that occurs around this time of year will be enough to prevent the need for any specific recommendations or restrictions on water use.

“We’re just asking people to use a common sense approach to reducing their consumption,” he said.

Other water systems affected include the Anderson Regional Joint Water System and Greenville Water.

Greenville Water recommends limiting nonessential water uses such as watering lawns and washing vehicles. It suggests limiting outdoor water use to twice a week between 7-8 a.m. for no more than 10 minutes.

More tips on ways to conserve water can be found at www.greenvillewater.com/conservation/tips/.

“As we move into the fall season and the heat wanes, we hope conditions will improve and reservoir levels will be replenished with much needed rainfall,” Greenville Water CEO David Bereskin, said.

The Keowee-Toxaway Drought Management Advisory Group was created as part of the relicensing of Duke’s hydroelectric project in Oconee County.

For more information, go to www.duke-energy.com/lakes/ktdmag.asp.