The City of Pullman asked community members on June 28 to reduce irrigation water use by 15 percent over the next three weeks to conserve water during the recent heatwaves.

Over 4.8 million gallons of water were pumped on June 25 for use in Pullman, according to a City of Pullman Maintenance and Operations media advisory. Over the past five years, July 31 to Sept. 16 experienced the greatest demand for water. 

Since 2016, the days that saw the highest demand for water used an average of 5,596,400 gallons, according to the advisory. Limiting outdoor water use is the most effective way to save water.

To encourage deep root growth, it is best to water less frequently so water soaks into the ground, leading to increased plant resiliency, according to the advisory. 

A brown lawn does not mean the grass is dead. It takes about a week for the grass to go dormant and around two to three weeks for the lawn to recover when watering continues, according to the advisory. 

The city recommends watering lawns during the early morning hours. Watering between 2 to 4 a.m. can ease the amount of water evaporated and limit the possibility of fungus developing in lawns and plants, according to the advisory.