HELENA — The City of Helena is asking residents to help with water conservation efforts this summer, as abnormally high temperatures have pushed water treatment output to concerning levels.
On multiple days in June, the City’s Tenmile and Missouri River water treatment plants were treating approximately 16 million gallons per day.
The City said in a press release, normally at this time of year, the daily output for these plants would be ten million gallons.
The last time the City exceeded 15 million gallons per day was in August of 2018.
“This level of water consumption, this early in the summer, raises serious concerns,” says City of Helena Public Works Director Ryan Leland. “With temperatures climbing back into the high 90s in the coming weeks, it will take a collective effort from residents to keep water supply at sustainable levels.”
Residents can check their monthly billing statement for an overview of their water consumption. According to the City of Helena, households that use more than 6,000 gallons in a month experience a 10% rate increase.
The City encourages water conservation practices like landscaping with native plant species, watering lawns and gardens early in the morning, and allowing grass to grow long enough to protect the soil.
The City has provided a list of water conservation best practices at www.helenamt.gov.
