Fix your flapper

A new village drought-driven water conservation campaign is all about flappers, not the kind seen on dance floors in the 1920s, but the essential mechanism in commodes across the nation.

Leaking toilet flappers account for about 10 percent of most wasted water, Ruidoso Utilities Director Randy Camp said Wednesday. "In our case, it's higher in the village, probably 15 percent, because we have so many second homes that go unattended for months at a time."

Under the new "Fix Your Flapper" push, when homeowners pay their bills at the water desk in Village Hall, clerks will distribute dye tablets that can be placed in a toilet tank and will indicate leakage if the water in the toilet bowl becomes colored, Camp explained to village councilors during their meeting earlier this month.

"The toilet receives the highest use in any household, about 20 percent, he said. "They can leak up to 200 gallons a day and that's a 6,000 gallon hit on a monthly water bill. A new flapper would pay for itself the first month."

The village remains in Phase IV water restrictions enacted last summer, he said.

"We're not going to pull out until something turns around," Camp said. "We're still in a prolonged drought."

During the council meeting, Councilor Jim Stoddard said while village officials are aware of the necessity of conserving water, especially this year with a light snowpack, "I don't think all our citizens are. I wonder if we can do a better job and explain why there

Village Manager Debi Lee said she met with Kerry Gladden of The Agency about a complete water conservation campaign to be called the "Water Wrangler Program." She will be handing out information to councilors about the campaign soon.

"There will be a lot of press releases, radio announcements, coloring contests in the schools to bring water conservation forward," she said.

In view of the limited snowmelt, Stoddard asked if water is bring diverted to Grindstone Reservoir from the Rio Ruidoso, while some significant flow is occurring. The river is the reservoir's only source to replenish the lake.

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Fix your flapper