Bill Petrarca, of the Jamestown Public Works Water Department, performs tests on water taken from a shallow reservoir in town. Wells also provide water, which is in short supply on the island.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

JAMESTOWN — Water is precious on Jamestown. The island depends on wells and shallow reservoirs filled by nature. And because water is so scarce here, the town has become Rhode Island’s model community for water efficiency.

While the municipal water system serves only about half the island, the town’s conservation regulations affect the entire population of 3,200 people.

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All residents are required to install low-flow water faucets, showerheads, toilets and energy-efficient washers and dryers. Town inspectors have gone to each home to verify that the water-saving measures were adopted by July of last year.

Residents are prohibited from using town water from June to the end of October to irrigate lawns and wash their houses, cars and boats. Jamestown also has other mandatory restrictions the rest of the year when the North Reservoir runs low, including 15-minute limits for garden watering and a ban on all outdoor and commercial water use to wash vehicles. Ignoring the water laws can lead to a $50 fine per quarter on the water bill or water shutoffs.

“That’s the ultimate. That’s the real thing you can do,” Public Works Director Steven Goslee said.

The town Web site has a “consumption calculator” to help residents estimate how much water they use for various tasks such as dishwashing and showering.

Even the 74-acre town-owned golf course promotes conservation. Since 1992, Supt. Joseph Mistowski has irrigated the grounds with recycled effluent water from the sewage treatment plant. Last year, the town Department of Public Works and the Jamestown Golf Course received the “business of the year” award from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island for “the innovative use of alternative water.” The irrigation model is so successful the town proposes to extend it to the baseball, softball and soccer field on Lawn Avenue, Town Administrator Bruce Keiser said.

Jamestown created many of its water-conservation laws after suffering a severe drought 14 years ago.

In the summer of 1993, the reservoir water levels were so low the town declared a state of emergency. The National Guard trucked 200,000 gallons of water a day from North Kingstown for several weeks and installed an emergency water pipeline over the old Jamestown Bridge, Goslee said.

During the drought, all non-essential water use was banned. No one was allowed to use town water outdoors. Even the local car wash and laundry shut down and restaurants had to use paper plates, Keiser said.

Jamestown spent $70,775 that fiscal year for emergency purchases, supplies and labor.

High water costs also play a role in water conservation.

An average American uses 90 gallons of water per day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The average water rate is $2 per 1,000 gallons of water. Rhode Islanders typically use more than 100 gallons of water per day, according to the Rhode Island Water Resources Board. The water rates in Rhode Island range from Lincoln’s $2.81 to the $25 Block Island summer rate, per 1,000 gallons of water.

In Jamestown, the average person uses 7,000 gallons each quarter, said Denise Jennings, the town water clerk. That breaks down to 77 gallons per day. Customers pay a flat service fee of $184 to $1,525 a year, depending on the water meter size. The fee includes 20,000 gallons of water. If customers need more water, they pay an additional $3.43 to $13.03 per 1,000 gallons of water.

Expensive prices on Block Island also provide a big incentive to save water.

The Block Island Water Company uses seasonal water rates to cope with the fluctuating demand of thousands of tourists. On Block Island, the rates range from $12.50 to $25 per 1,000 gallons of water. A typical residential water bill is $1,290 a year, according to the Rhode Island Water Resources Board.

John Breunig, the water company chief operator, said most customers tend to be frugal with water.

“In my mind, money is always the biggest motivation for everybody,” Breunig said. “If you stick it to their pockets, they will fix the daily stupid things, like shutting water off when you’re brushing your teeth. In general, there’s a conservation mentality out here.”

Although water conservation is an effective water management tool, Goslee said it isn’t a permanent fix for Jamestown’s shortages. To alleviate the situation, the town spent $6.2 million on a new water tower, water-distribution system with bigger pipes, and a high-tech water filtration plant that removes contaminants on a molecular level. The water tower and distribution system are complete. Construction of a new water plant will go out to bid in the spring and is scheduled to be done next year.

“It’s a balancing act,” Goslee said about juggling conservation and selling water. “It’s like selling Christmas trees. You still want a few in the lot. You want revenues.”

Michelle J. Lee is a fellow with the Metcalf Institute of Marine and Environmental Reporting.

mlee@projo.com