Water Advisory

The drought in recent weeks has impacted the city's water supply. Today, the following water reserve advisory was issued by the City of Hudson Water Department.

The City of Hudson receives the raw water for its public water supply from the 78-million-gallon Churchtown reservoir. That man-made water body is primarily filled by water diverted from the Taghkanic Creek in the Town of Taghkanic. Our watershed encompasses 55-square miles in the Towns of Claverack, Hillsdale, Taghkanic and Copake and its regulations are codified by State Law under 10 NYCRR 109.1.

Since the drought conditions began a few weeks ago, the level at the Churchtown Reservoir has dropped 1 foot, or 5.5 million gallons, and continues to drop almost 1½ inches, or 675,000 gallons, per day. Daily consumption is 1.1 million gallons per day. 

At this time, the City of Hudson Water Department wants to alert the general public of this ongoing situation as a public service. We ask that residents and businesses consider how they use water and do what they can to reduce consumption. Should drought conditions persist, it may be necessary to declare a water emergency and impose formal restrictions.

What the Water Department Is Doing

• Conducting regular inspections of feeder streams and ponds that supply the reservoir to identify any restrictions. 
• Conducting regular inspections of all transmission main and valves to ensure no raw water is lost. 
• Collaborating with the Fire Department to restrict “drills." 
• Optimizing the treatment process to reduce potential losses during clarification and filtration. 

What You Can Do Indoors to Save Water

• Turn off the faucet while shaving, washing up, brushing teeth, and washing dishes. The average person uses 10.9 gallons of water from the faucet a day. 
• Fix dripping and leaking faucets and toilets. A faucet leaking 30 drops per minute wastes 54 gallons a month. 
• Don't run the tap to make water cold or hot. Instead, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. 
• Put a plastic jug filled with water in the tank of conventional toilets. You'll save that much volume in water each time you flush. 
• Throw used facial tissues into the waste basket instead of using the toilet as a waste basket. You'll save up to 6 gallons of water each time you don't flush. 
• Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry. The average dishwasher uses 8-12 gallons whether or not it's a full load. 
• Install water-saving plumbing fixtures. A low-flow shower head saves up to 7.5 gallons a minute. 
• Take shorter showers or fill the bathtub only part way. The average person uses 15 gallons a day in bathing and hygiene. 

What You Can Do Outdoors to Save Water

• Raise your lawn mower cutting height. Longer grass needs less water. 
• Use a pool cover. It will reduce water loss from evaporation. 
• Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to save soil moisture. Apply organic mulches 4 inches deep to keep plant roots cool, prevent soil crusting, minimize evaporation, and reduce weed growth. 
• Wash cars less frequently. If your car desperately needs a bath, take it to a car wash that recycles water. 
• If your community allows watering, water lawns and gardens on alternate mornings instead of every day. Less frequent watering will develop grass with deeper roots, and early morning watering minimizes evaporation. 
• When using automatic lawn watering systems, override the system in wet weather or use a rain gauge or soil moisture sensor to control when and how much water to use. A fixed watering schedule wastes water. Irrigate only when needed. It saves water and can actually improve your lawn's health.