JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The record-breaking heat and lack of rain in Northeast Florida are not only creating a heightened risk of fires but also affecting your morning routine, according to JEA.
The publicly-owned utility is now notifying residents that they may notice their water pressure has been throttled because it needs to take steps to conserve its water supply until the dry spell passes.
JEA let customers know through social media that the water pressure available for lawns is already low, and that they could see changes in the volume of water available for drinking and showers.
Neighborhoods in parts of Duval and St. Johns counties are currently feeling the effects. JEA has told residents there that pressure for reclaimed water, which is typically used for irrigation, will be low.
Kristen Knight, who lives in the Shearwater community outside of St. Johns, was first notified of the issue via an email from her homeowners' association. She soon noticed it firsthand, too.
"It just made us be more aware that we need to pay attention to it," Knight said. "I'm expecting them to give us further updates as to what is going on, what's causing the pressure to be low."
She's already found that the water pressure in her kitchen is suffering as a result. JEA said that could happen across the service area because more people are using regular water to feed their lawns.
The utility is working to keep storage tanks full during this dry spell, saying that is why customers are likely to notice less pressure in the morning as well as other times that water usage peaks.
JEA is asking customers to follow local watering restrictions, noting that they should only water their lawns twice a week -- and only in the evening until about 4 a.m.