Lancaster County township announces voluntary water conservation

A water authority in Lancaster County is asking its customers to limit non-essential water use due to a recent dry spell throughout central Pennsylvania , according to a Tuesday announcement .

The Hempfield Water Authority , which provides water to more than 20,000 people in East/West Hempfield Townships, is asking all customers to only use water when it is essential, citing a "moderate drought" in the county.

Examples of non-essential water use include watering lawns/gardens and washing cars, driveways or sidewalks, the announcement said.

The announcement also included the following tips and tricks to conserve water, even though the conservation efforts are voluntary at this time:

Locate and repair all leaks in faucets, toilets and water-using appliances

Adjust all water-using appliances to use the minimum amount of water

Run the dishwasher and washing machine at full load. If you wash dishes by hand, use a bucket or container with soapy water and only use the faucet for quick rinsing of scrubbed dishes

Take five-minute showers and shallower baths. Turn off shower while soaping; turn off faucet while brushing teeth, etc.

Install flow restrictors in shower heads and faucets

Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day. Each flush uses about five to seven gallons. Reduce water used per flush by installing toilet tank displacement inserts. (Low flush toilets use about 1.6 gallons per day and do not need toilet tank displacements)

Use sink and tub stoppers to avoid wasting water

Keep a bottle of chilled drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the water till it gets cold

Set up a rain barrel to be ready to repurpose rain when it does fall

Track your water bill and meter to curtail the household's daily water use

The Hempfield Water Authority will notify its customers if non-essential water use becomes prohibited in the future.

Several burn bans have also been issued in central Pa., including municipalities in Lancaster , Dauphin and York counties. Around half of Pennsylvania's counties were recently placed under drought watches as well.

To stay up to date on drought conditions throughout Pennsylvania, check the state's Department of Environmental Protection website .