North Jersey water use down significantly this summer, a year after drought

The Wanaque Reservoir was faring much better this summer than last, as rains helped replenish it and reduced water demand a year after a serious drought.

The 800,000 customers in Bergen and Hudson counties served by the Suez water utility used 909 million fewer gallons of water this summer than last – a savings that would fill more than three Empire State Buildings.

That’s largely because people felt far less compunction to water their lawns and gardens this summer, reducing pressure on the three reservoirs along the Hackensack River that Suez operates. At this time last year the region was in the midst of a drought that would only grow worse into the fall months.

This summer’s rainfall, while not overwhelming, has been close to the historical average, and it has come on a regular basis, keeping lawns green deep into August with little help from automatic sprinklers.

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In June, July and August this summer, Suez sent 10.5 billion gallons of treated water out to its customers, compared with 11.4 billion in those months in 2016, said Billie Gallo, Suez spokeswoman. That’s an 8 percent decline.

The three Hackensack River reservoirs operated by Suez are far fuller today than this point last year during drought conditions.

The North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, which operates the Wanaque and Monksville reservoirs in Passaic County, saw similar declines this summer, said William Maer, the commission spokesman. The district’s flow was a combined 10.2 billion gallons this June, July and August, down 1.36 billion gallons from last summer – nearly 12 percent lower.

There is some overlap between the North Jersey District and Suez numbers, since Suez receives some water from North Jersey District to supplement supply from its own Hackensack reservoirs. But North Jersey District also supplies water to many other towns not served by Suez.

The demand for water was dampened by spotty but frequent rain showers throughout July. “When all was said and done, rainfall occurred frequently enough to leave most locations with average to well above average monthly totals,” David Robinson, the state climatologist and Rutgers professor, wrote in his monthly weather survey.

By last fall drought was so serious that the flow of the Passiac River and other rivers in the region were severely depleted.

Over the past 90 days, Bergen County has had 11.6 inches of rain, down 1.3 inches from the historical average. Passaic and Morris counties have also seen rainfall down just under an inch from normal over the three months.

Last summer, New Jersey had its warmest August on record dating back to 1895, and its fourth warmest September. Last fall was sixth warmest on record, continuing the trend – and keeping the demand for water higher than usual for longer than usual. Overall, 2016 ranked as the state’s third warmest on record.

By Oct. 21, 2016, reservoirs levels and stream flows were so low that the state Department of Environmental Protection issued its first drought warning since 2001, which covered Bergen, Passaic and 12 other northern counties. The DEP cited an entrenched pattern of little rain, increased demand for water and warmer-than-average temperatures.

The Oradell Reservoir, shown here in Harrington Park, was unusually low in October.

Bergen, Passaic and Morris counties received 60 percent to 70 percent less rainfall from mid-August to mid-October last year than the historical average.

As a result, drinking water reservoirs dipped unusually low. The three reservoirs along the Hackensack River operated by Suez were down to a combined 44 percent of capacity by mid-October, when historically at that time of year they are at 60 percent of capacity. (Currently they are at 80 percent capacity, compared with a historical average of 60 percent full for this time of year.)

And the Wanaque was so low that usually obscured foundations of old farmhouses that once stood in the valley were becoming visible again.

“The situation in our reservoir systems that serve some of the most densely populated regions of New Jersey is becoming more critical, with some systems dropping to half their capacity or less," Bob Martin, the DEP commissioner, said in October when announcing the drought warning. "It is vital that every resident and business step up efforts to voluntarily reduce water use in the hopes of averting a water emergency and mandatory restrictions."

In March and early April, Bergen County finally enjoyed a replenishment of “liquid gold,” as two-thirds more rain fell in the period than typical. The Passaic River at Little Falls swelled to three times the typical flow for the period. During the middle of the drought, by contrast, the Passaic was running at 96 percent below average.

Foundations of old homes are now visible as water levels drop.

The drought warning was lifted in mid-April. And May was the state’s ninth wettest on record.

The state’s shift in fortune was due in large measure to a shift in the higher atmospheric winds called the jet stream.

For much of the fall and winter, the jet stream had a southern dip to it over the western United States. That allowed storms to roll up from the Gulf of Mexico into the Midwest, largely bypassing our region. And storms that did venture near were still far enough west that they couldn't draw much moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.

But in March, the jet stream shifted, with a southerly dip over the eastern United States. That shoved storms farther east, into our area. And allowed them to tap into Atlantic moisture, generating more snow and rain for North Jersey.

The quick shift of fortunes – and the dramatic difference in water use from last summer to this one – reflects the tenuous nature of New Jersey’s water supply.

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The latest version of the state water supply master plan, released in May by the DEP, indicates that residents in parts of New Jersey use tens of millions of gallons more water a day than their watersheds can safely supply - and other areas of the state could soon be in similar stress.

Demand in much of Salem and Cumberland counties outstrips local supply by 70 million gallons a day. In Atlantic County, the deficit is 25 million gallons daily.

In large portions of Essex, Union and Middlesex counties, which the Rahway River runs through, demand outstrips available local supply by 13 million gallons each day. And in a region that includes the parts of Morris, Sussex and Essex counties served by the upper reaches of the Passaic River watershed, the current 2 million daily deficit could grow to 5 million a day by 2020, according to the plan.

Other areas could also soon become stressed. Bergen and Hudson counties, which mostly get their water from the Hackensack River, could see demand consume all but a million gallons per day of the region's daily supply of 127 million gallons by 2020, the state said.

It could have been worse. While New Jersey's population grew by 15 percent between 1990 and 2015, overall drinking water use remained relatively stable, thanks to more efficient household appliances and plumbing fixtures. In addition, industrial water use declined in that period.

But – even despite the lower water use this summer compared to 2016 -- residents are generally using growing amounts of treated drinking water on suburban lawns and landscaped yards, an inefficient use of water that concerns officials. They say the trend can further stress local water systems, especially during peak summer demand periods.