Ruhenstroth water committee conducts measurement testing

The Ruhenstroth Water Steering Planning Committee conducted water measurement testing on various wells on March 29. The committee was formed after our neighborhood meeting in December 2006 to gather information and present options to the residents based on the trends of water usage and aquifer levels.

The aquifers are replenished (also called recharging) as the snow from winter melts and soaks through the ground to the underground caverns. These caverns are where our wells tap into and bring the water to our homes.

Another goal of the committee is to present options for alternate solutions if our aquifers no longer provide adequate water for the wells. Ruhenstroth resident Gary Swift has developed a Web site to keep us up to date with minutes from the meetings as well as any other information the committee has for the residents. For information, visit www.geocities.com/ruhenstrothwater. You can also view the slide presentation that the committee presented on Feb. 29 to residents.

Since this was the first time measurements have been taken, it will serve as a baseline for future tests. The committee plans to conduct the measurements twice a year to learn how the underground aquifer is recovering after the winter recharge and then again after the heavy water usage from the summer months. These first measurements indicated a wide range of water levels from some that are losing rapidly to others that have actually gained slightly according to their original drilling records (well logs). Committee members will be mailing letters to some residents asking for their permission to be a part of this process. They will also be widening their scope of test sites based on these initial findings. If you are contacted, please make every effort to be available for the testing dates so the committee can get a good representation of our water situation. The information is also provided to the county to help them in planning for infrastructure placement.

In many areas, water is metered and billed according to an individual's usage. We are fortunate to have our own individual wells to supply our homes with water. This does not mean that we should take for granted where the water is coming from or how we are using it. Each "domestic well is allotted up to two acre-feet per year which roughly equated to 1,800 gallons per day," according to Rick Oliver, vice chairman of the committee.

This sounds like a lot of water, but when you realize that watering the average small lawn uses about 20 gallons a minute, you can see that 1,200 gallons are used in just an hour. That only leaves 600 gallons for bathing, flushing toilets, drinking, cooking, dishwashing and laundry. Consider that an average full load of laundry in a top loading machine uses about 50 gallons per load and 60 gallons are used in a typical dishwasher complete cycle. Baths or showers average between 15 and 30 gallons for every five minutes the water is running. Flushing a commode sends four to seven gallons down the drain, literally. This doesn't take into account washing hands, brushing teeth, or rinsing vegetables, to name a few. The best one I've seen recently was using the garden hose to rinse the driveway.

Being conscious of our choices doesn't mean that we have to drastically alter our way of life, but it can mean the difference between having our own wells or being forced to join a community water source. It also doesn't mean we can take for granted this vital resource.

n To reach Gail Davis, e-mail RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com or call 265-1947.