The Onslow Water and Sewer Authority is asking customers to check their plumbing for leaks after historic high demand is being reported across their service area due to the recent winter storm. Jared Brumbaugh has more.
ONWASA normally pump around 7.5 million gallons of water every day during the month of January. According to CEO of ONSWASA Jeffery Hudson, the rate of demand has nearly doubled to 14 million gallons of water over the last several days.
“That’s incredibly high for us. It exceeds even our water demand on the busiest day of summer when all the tourists are visiting our beaches.”
Hudson says they expected an increase in water usage due to residents allowing water to trickle from their faucets to prevent frozen pipes. But the demand for water has continued to increase even as temperatures rose above freezing. Five to six million gallons of extra water is being used right now, and Hudson is urging homeowners to check for leaks.
“We’re also encouraging people to remember to check unoccupied properties. So if they have rental houses at the beach or a barn or a shed that has plumbing running to it, to please check those areas as well that perhaps they wouldn’t think of regularly.”
ONWASA has inspected all water mains, plants, and towers to fix breaks in the community’s infrastructure. The water utility is waiving all turn-off and turn-on fees for this winter storm event as well as 50 percent off your water bill if your pipes burst.
