In July, the Parachute Town Council adopted a Water Restriction and Conservation Program to help the town respond quickly and responsibly to changing water conditions. 

The new program allows the town to implement or lift water use restrictions as needed throughout the year, based on water availability, drought conditions and regional coordination. 

On July 15, it was announced that Parachute remains at a Stage 1 Water Watch due to low flows on the Parachute Creek. It has remained at Stage 1 partially due to ongoing coordination with other users of Parachute Creek and the community’s ongoing conservation efforts. 

Stage 1 is a voluntary stage that applies to raw water irrigation users only. Parachute has not implemented any mandatory restrictions at this time and potable drinking water customers are not affected. 

Parachute is encouraging all irrigation water users to take simple voluntary actions to help conserve water, such as:

• Reducing outdoor watering to three to five days a week
• Watering in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation
• Focusing water use on trees, vegetables and essential landscaping only
• Avoiding overwatering lawns or irrigating during rainfall

Voluntary conservation is key, as cutting back now could help the community avoid stricter, mandatory restrictions later this summer.

If conditions change, additional stages of the program may be implemented. Higher stages could make the current voluntary measures enforceable or even lead to a ban on all outdoor irrigation, though that has not yet been necessary in Parachute.

Future restrictions will be announced publicly and community members can stay up to date by following the town of Parachute’s social media accounts, like their Facebook at facebook.com/townofparachute/, downloading the “Town of Parachute” mobile app or visiting the town’s utilities page at parachute.gov/o/top/page/utilities. 

For more questions on the program or water usage, contact Parachute Town Hall at 907-285-7630.