{"id":735571,"date":"2026-06-30T21:12:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/735571\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T21:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T21:12:10","slug":"first-alert-ways-to-conserve-water-amid-worsening-drought-and-restrictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/735571\/","title":{"rendered":"FIRST ALERT: Ways to conserve water amid worsening drought and restrictions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"text | article-text\">MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) \u2014 As drought conditions continue to strain water supplies across South Carolina, the Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority is urging residents to adopt simple conservation practices that can make a significant difference in preserving the region\u2019s water resources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Water conservation efforts are not just about reducing monthly bills \u2014 they are essential to maintaining adequate water supplies for the entire community during periods of scarcity, officials say.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">\u201cSaving water is a lot like love \u2014 the little things make a big difference,\u201d the authority stated in recent guidance to residents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">The Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority, which serves much of the area, has outlined practical steps residents can take both indoors and outdoors to reduce water consumption.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"figure-img img-fluid mx-auto d-block\" alt=\"Water conservation measures go into effect starting July 1.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FY5GHQ53SBCK5GLOVHR3A7OBWE.png\" width=\"980\" height=\"551\" \/>Water conservation measures go into effect starting July 1.(WMBF)Outdoor Conservation Measures<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Outside the home, residents are encouraged to avoid watering lawns on windy days and to ensure sprinklers target only grass rather than driveways and other paved surfaces. Planting drought-tolerant plants that require minimal irrigation can significantly reduce outdoor water use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Evening or nighttime irrigation is recommended to minimize water loss from evaporation. Residents should also inspect hoses, pipes, and faucets regularly for leaks and consider using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks and walkways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">For pool owners, covering pools when not in use prevents unnecessary evaporation. Laying mulch around trees and plants helps retain soil moisture, reducing the need for frequent watering.<\/p>\n<p>Indoor Conservation Strategies<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Inside homes, installing high-efficiency, low-flow appliances \u2014 including dishwashers, faucets, toilets, and shower heads \u2014 can substantially reduce water usage. Running dishwashers only when fully loaded and using a pan of water instead of running water to clean fruits and vegetables are simple steps that add up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">In bathrooms, residents are advised to turn off faucets while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing faces. Shortening shower times and filling bathtubs only halfway can conserve thousands of gallons annually. Regularly checking toilets for leaks prevents hidden water waste.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Laundry room conservation includes using high-efficiency washing machines and running loads only when full, with water levels adjusted to match load size.<\/p>\n<p>Community Support<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">The Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority encourages residents to contact the utility with questions about water conservation or to report suspected leaks. The authority can be reached at 843-443-8200 during business hours or for after-hours emergencies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">\u201cWater conservation is good for everyone,\u201d the authority said. \u201cAnd it really doesn\u2019t take that much effort.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text | article-text\">Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WMBF. For more free content like this, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmbfnews.com\/page\/wmbf-news-apps\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.wmbfnews.com\/page\/wmbf-news-apps\/\" target=\"_blank\">download our apps.<\/a> Have feedback that can help us improve? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmbfnews.com\/2026\/06\/30\/first-alert-ways-conserve-water-amid-worsening-drought-restrictions\/mailto:wmbf-digitalcontent@graymedia.com?subject=[please include the article\" s=\"\" headline=\"\" here=\"\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.wmbfnews.com\/2026\/06\/30\/first-alert-ways-conserve-water-amid-worsening-drought-restrictions\/mailto:wmbf-digitalcontent@graymedia.com?subject=[please include the article\">Click here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 WMBF. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) \u2014 As drought conditions continue to strain water supplies across South Carolina, the Grand&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":735572,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,79],"class_list":["post-735571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=735571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/735571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/735572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=735571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=735571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=735571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}