Water usage drops significantly: meters or moisture?

With the installation of water meters, 2018 saw Grant residents pay for specific water usage for the first time in the city’s history. 

Water usage for the year came in just over 112 million gallons, dropping by nearly 57.5 million gallons from 2017, and nearly 79.5 million gallons under the 2018 target.

Some believe this is due to residents monitoring their water usage, while others believe it’s most likely due to the higher levels of moisture received in 2018. 

The year saw 27.14 inches of moisture, nearly seven inches more than 2017 at 20.45 inches. 

Water usage remained around the same through March, and decreased by nearly 4.5 million in April compared to 2017. 

Residents received their first billing for metered water in May after two months of sample bills. May’s water usage, at 9.2 million, was down by nearly 6.5 million gallons from 2017, but 6.52 inches of moisture fell in May 2018, compared to just 3.03 inches in May 2017. 

June’s water usage was just over 16 million, down just over 50 percent from 2017, but again, the month saw 5.55 inches of moisture in 2018 and just 1.35 in 2017. 

July showed the largest difference in water usage with nearly 17.7 more gallons used in 2017 than 2018, however, the two years saw nearly the same amount of moisture that month. July 2017 saw 5.02 inches and July 2018 saw 4.96 inches. 

August saw the most water usage for 2018 at nearly 17.5 million gallons and February had the least amount of water usage with 4.6 million gallons. 

January and November were the only months in 2018 in which the water usage increased from 2017. 

In January it increased by 127,200 gallons and in November it increased by 113,300. Every month was significantly less than the target usage. 

2018 Temperatures

The coldest day of the year in Grant in 2018 was Jan. 1, when temps reached -10.21 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Three other days reached below zero and included Jan. 15 at -7.44; Feb. 9 at -2.9 and Feb. 20 at -3.98. 

The hottest day of the year was June 28 which reached 100.9 degrees. It was the only day to break 100.