TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — If you're visiting Mount Lemmon, be sure to pack extra water as stage three water restrictions are now in place.
With stage three water restrictions now in effect, residents and visitors are being told to do their laundry off the mountain and to stop watering outdoor plants.
- A mandatory 50% reduction in water consumption
- No outdoor irrigation
- No car washing
Less rain and snow, leaks and excessive water use are contributing to a water shortage, according to the Mount Lemmon Domestic Water Improvement District.
Businesses like the Mount Lemmon Lodge are stepping up. The owner, Diana Osborne, is asking guests to sign an agreement to help conserve 50% of the water they would use while staying at the lodge.
"We are posting the gallons per minute you use, at every faucet, at every shower head," said Osborne. "Our shower heads have all been replaced down to 1.14 gallons per minute. We also have shower timers."
The Mount Lemmon Lodge also replaced its china and silverware with bamboo plates and disposable cutlery, cutting down on dishwashing.
"It's kind of sacrificing the quality we would like to do, but water is so much more important," Osborne said.
Osborne was raised on Mount Lemmon and is no stranger to conserving water. She tells me that the lodge's laundry is being taken and returned to Phoenix three times a week. In turn, she's had to purchase more towels, linen and more to ensure all guests have their rooms ready while the laundry is in rotation.
Frequent Mount Lemmon visitors like Jon Beck agree with the new rules.
"Water restrictions are just part of desert life," said Beck.
Beck does his part to conserve water by rainwater harvesting.
"Our house has a metal roof on it and we collect several 1,000 gallons of cistern water, so it supplies our pool, which we happen to have year-round. We don't use groundwater in our pool," said Beck.
The Mount Lemmon Domestic Water Improvement District says the more we conserve water, the sooner these restrictions can be lifted. The district states that if Mount Lemmon water users don't comply with restrictions, it can result in their water getting shut off.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
