If you have been in Round Hill or Purcellville recently, you might have noticed signs asking people to conserve water or use less water. This is because both towns in Virginia have been experiencing a phase one water conservation. The restrictions cam into effect in early November in 2023.
In the summer, water wells were low and there was a drought occurrence with little rain. With water low, some people have to find ways to accommodate the water restrictions.
Many families are having a hard time adjusting to the water restrictions, especially when they have many people at home. A resident in Round Hill, Stephanie Nicklow, found some ways to adjust and use less water. Nicklow says, “We try to take shorter showers. For the washing machine, we use all the clothes that we can to fill it up before it becomes too full of a load. The dishwasher, we make sure it’s full first before running it. And not just letting water run when we are washing dishes like pots and pans… It was kind of hard to cut back with a household of 6 because my father-in-law lives with us, but that’s the way we’ve tried to cut back.”
Even schools have to accommodate for water restrictions, going to show it is not just homes, who are affected by water restrictions. Mr. Allen Kicker, one of Woodgroves custodians, says, “ We’ve been on water notice for the past couple months. It was where we were cleaning the cafeteria floor two to three times a week. Now we’re only doing it on Fridays. We lift up all the tables, push all tables to the side, and make sure that the whole entire cafeteria floor is clean. Sometimes we’ll just spot mop. We’ll get out water and put it on the floor and we’ll just spot mop the floor instead of doing the whole entire thing.” With spot mopping the floor, the custodians barely use water, conserving it for Fridays when they deep clean the whole floor.
When the school was being built in 2010, the community and town were concerned with how big the school was going to be and what it was going to mean for natural resources like water. Dr. William Shipp, the Principal of Woodgrove, says, “The school has already for quite some time been very aware of our water usage. I know the district and the town have worked on and been very focused on water usage here.” With the town and community being involved with the building of the school and water usage, the school has been able to preserve more water. Shipp shares, “ I think that right off the bat, we’ve had things implemented. Our processes have enabled us to really try to minimize what we use here already.” Having the community involved has helped show that the school listens to the community’s thoughts and concerns.
A Woodgrove student, Honor Watson, who lives in Round Hill, accommodates for water restrictions, even when she did not know about them, she says, “ Don’t take 2 hour long showers if it’s not necessary, which is never really necessary. We don’t really have a limit though. We’re just doing the basic things like only run the dishwasher when it has a full load, so you don’t have to redo multiple loads a day because that wastes water. Just stuff like that.” When students are able to save water without even knowing, it can be quite beneficial for the community.
Some people adjusted to the restrictions by having certain days to use more water than others. Nicklow shares, “I would say we use more on the weekends because I’m a working mom, and he [her husband] works and we’re all home during the weekend. I do laundry on Saturdays or Sundays” When using more water on certain days, it can help preserve more water in the long run.
Although the water restrictions are strict, the towns are continuing to monitor the wells. Round Hill and Purcellville water restrictions may be getting lifted soon because the water wells are looking better. The towns may go back to the restrictions in the summer or spring, if the days are dry. Amazingly, the water restrictions were lifted in February as the wells were looking good.
