Broken Arrow Begins Voluntary Water Conservation

The City of Broken Arrow has begun voluntary water conservation after two record-setting days of usage.

Beginning Wednesday, August 1, residents and businesses are asked to limit outdoor watering to every other day.

Customers with even-numbered addresses should water only on even-numbered dates while customers with odd-numbered addresses should water only on those days, the City announced Tuesday morning.

The month of July exceed any previous month with 700 million gallons consumed, according to a news release.

Joy Brunson brings her three children to the splash pad at Broken Arrow's Seiling Park once a week.

But now she's left high and dry as far as that option for fun goes.

"It's kind of sad, we're just trying to find a way to be cool and active," Brunson said.

The city has closed all the neighborhood splash parks because like many communities, Broken Arrow's water system is being taxed by high water usage.

7/31/2012 Related Story: City Of Tulsa Announces Voluntary Water Restrictions

They are also limiting watering at sports fields and the Battle Creek Golf Club, and limiting watering to the hours of midnight to noon.

City swimming pools will remain open as they operate on a closed water system.

Kenneth Schwab with the city says Broken Arrow's water usage set a record on Sunday at 26.5 million gallons.

Almost as much was used Monday, prompting voluntary water rationing for Broken Arrow's 34,000 customers.

"We want to make sure that we pull that back and make sure we have enough in our system," Schwab said. "If we can't drop some of this usage then we're going to have to do some more strict and stringent methods. We don't want to have to go to mandatory, but we're keeping a close eye on that, obviously."

Brunson said, though it's an inconvenience, she understands the need to conserve, and the desperate need we all have for rain.

"We're praying for rain, personally at our household," Brunson said.

To make matters worse, with the intense heat, more water lines are starting to break.

Broken Arrow had seven main water main breaks on Sunday.

To learn more about the voluntary water-use restriction, go to the City of Broken Arrow web site.