Bernalillo County asks residents to water lawns twice a week

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is asking local residents to water lawns no more than twice a week as fall begins. The recommendation is part of the authority’s voluntary “Water by the Numbers” program.

“Cooler nights and shorter days mean less irrigation is required to keep lawns healthy,” said Barbara Baca, chair of the Water Authority’s Governing Board.

Baca said ramping down sprinkler use now will help ensure the community meets its annual conservation goal.

Overall water use this year is up about 4% from last year, according to water authority staff. The authority says drier weather and warmer temperatures could be a factor.

August rainfall measured 3.48 inches, compared with 4.09 inches last year, the authority said. Normal rainfall for August is 5.68 inches, according to the water authority.

This August was about two to three degrees warmer than last year, the authority said.

Usage through August totaled 54,481 acre-feet, or about 18 billion gallons, which translates to 125 gallons per person per day, according to water authority staff. The annual conservation goal for daily usage, set in the Water Authority’s long-term resource management plan called WATER 2120, is 131 gallons per capita per day, the authority said.

Staff said in a Monday news release that overall water use, while up about 4 percent from last year, is still on track to meet or exceed the 2026 annual conservation goal.

Residents can learn about “Water by the Numbers” online.