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7.4.06 Omaha sets record for June use of water Omahans emerged from their fifth driest June on record by using a record amount of water for the month -- and did so without having to cut back. Officials at the Metropolitan Utilities District say an improved and fully operational water system is to thank for the sufficient supply of water. Mari Matulka, spokeswoman for M.U.D., said a pump station installed in northwest Omaha last year has improved water pressure. Also, all of the utility's equipment is fully operational. "We're doing just fine as long as we don't have any equipment failures," she said. "It's one day at a time." If the Omaha area makes it through the summer without restrictions, it will be the third year in a row that has happened. The three previous summers saw restrictions. The City of Lincoln has asked residents to voluntarily limit lawn watering to every other day. Gretna has issued mandatory restrictions to residents. In June, M.U.D. customers used 4.824 billion gallons of water, surpassing the previous June record, set in 1988, by about 3 percent. Matulka said watering lawns every other day continues to make good sense, as do other conservation measures. June was warmer and drier than normal in the metropolitan area, according to the National Weather Service. The average temperature in Omaha was 2.5 degrees above normal, according to weather service readings at Eppley Airfield. Rainfall was about 25 percent of normal. May and June in the Omaha area combined were the driest in almost 50 years. |
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