Start conserving water now to prevent summertime restrictions. That's the message New Jersey American Water is sending to Monmouth County customers by asking them to water their lawns every other day.

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Despite the snow, wet winter, the Swimming River Resevoir bordering Lincroft and Colt Neck only holds a limited supply. "What we've got available in Monmouth is sort of fixed and our problem is that the population is not. The population has grown. That water supply is essentially the same as it was 50 years ago, " said New Jersey American Water Director of Communications Peter Eschbach.

Customers use about 22 million gallons of water a day. "Our problem coming into summer is in June, July and August, they'll be using twice that much. They'll be approaching 40 million gallons of water a day," Eschbach said.

Customers should get in the habit of using an odd/even schedule for outdoor watering. Eschbach said it goes beyond keeping your lawn green,  "When you have a system that is designed pretty much to go up to about 40 million gallons a day and you are approaching that simply because everyone has got their sprinkler systems going, you know that's just wrong."

He added it could also pose a public safety threat for fire companies who need it.

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