Yuma trying to stay afloat amid talks of drought

13 On Your Side's Arlette Yousif has more on precautionary measures the city is taking

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA/KECY) - Yuma is facing a drought and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is sounding the alarm.

The Yuma Utilities Department says reducing water use by at least 10% could help conserve water.

Another topic of discussion is removing decorative outdoor water fountains.

But, Yuma Utilities Director Jeremy McCall says that's in the far future.

McCall says one main issue is the over-estimation of water supply from the Colorado River.

"There's not that much water from mother nature into the system. So, it's a structural deficit. There's more out than there is in. So, there has to be some significant changes that are on the table for long-term," say McCall.

Mccall also says taking the right steps now in managing our resources could help us in the future.

He says the water supply is available now but what we do now can impact it later.

"We continue to think [water] will be there, but we need to manage it through this extreme short drought year and hopefully that, those volumes will go up," McCall explains.

Eventually, the question of grass around homes and commercial areas will be addressed to possibly limit the amount of water being used. The director explains that landscaping and irrigation alone accounts for about 70% of our water usage.

Alternatives like artificial turf are being considered, though nothing is set in stone just yet.