By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The city of Hays is becoming about as water efficient as it can be, according to officials.

Commissioners Henry Schwaller, Eber Phelps and Shaun Musil attended a regional water conference in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno, who had to stay behind, said this is one of several water seminars city officials have attended over the years.

“It’s a great opportunity to get more ideas for ‘best management practices’ used across the country, and even throughout the world, in conserving water,” according to Briseno.

“After last year’s trip, a number of initiatives came forward. We implemented several programs for water conservation — as you can tell from the budget — anything from education and marketing, to incentives, regulations and legislation,” he said. “We are becoming about as water efficient as we can. Our citizens are among the best users of water in Kansas — an average 95 gallons of water use per Hays resident per day.

“Sooner or later we’ll get to that place where we can’t get any more efficient, so our education component will be stepped up,” Briseno added.

“Education is just as important as incentives, rules and regulations,” Briseno emphasized. “Within the next month or so, Jason Riegel, city of Hays Water Conservation Specialist, will start working with our local schools to get that information to the students.”

Even though there have been good rains in 2014, a water watch remains in effect with Hays in the fourth year of a drought.