May Day in Killeen is the Start of Stage One Water Conservation

May Day! May Day!  No I am not in Trouble I am just celebrating the first of May. Anybody have a pole and some ribbon?

We are supposed to make the pole look like this, then we dance around it celebrating spring.

Now if we are in trouble on the high seas or in the air and we need help cause we are going down then we can use the radio to shout, May Day! May Day! It is from the french word m’aider, which means “help me.  It was the idea of Frederick Mockford, who was a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London.

Now to my point. May Day is the official start of Water Conservation in Killeen.  We do it every year from May 1 - September 30.  Even though it seems like we have had a lot of rain lately, we haven't. Belton Lake levels are still down and if this summer is like all the others we need to conserve water now.  We have been on Stage 1, voluntary conservation since February and that part of the plan continues.

There are no mandatory restrictions yet. The city sent out a press release with some suggestions for you on how to conserve water. I wrote a song about it but you can't hear it. I will let you read the tips though

• Repair leaky faucets, fixtures, and pipes
• Turn water off while washing dishes, brushing teeth, or shaving
• Use garbage disposal sparingly, compost vegetable scraps and yard waste instead
• Scrape dishes instead of rinsing before placing them in the dishwasher
• Rinse produce in a pan of water then reuse remaining water on household plants
• Keep a container of water in the refrigerator instead of running water until it is cold
• Check toilets for leaks by adding food coloring to the tank; if color appears in the bowl, you have a leak
• Never use the toilet to dispose of trash
• Take showers instead of baths
• Install low-flow shower heads
• Reduce shower time or install a cutoff valve
• Wash only full loads of laundry when possible, or use the lowest water level setting for light or partial loads
• Use cold water for laundry as often as possible to save energy
• Use sprinklers that produce large drops of water instead of mist
• Set sprinkler systems to water 1 inch every 5 days
• Adjust sprinkler heads that are spraying sidewalks, driveways, or streets
• Use drip irrigation for flower beds, shrubs and trees
• Condition soil with mulch or compost to retain moisture
• Set lawnmower on higher setting; taller grass retains more moisture
• Use a bucket of water to wash vehicles and only turn on hose for rinsing
• Do not water driveways, streets or sidewalks

There you go.  Easy enough.  You can get more information about the Killeen water conservation plan on the city’s website, www.killeentexas.gov/wcp.