Water restrictions announced for Central Texas cities

CENTRAL TEXAS (FOX 44) – Water levels continue to decline throughout Central Texas, warranting the move into drought contingency plans in several cities in order to protect their water sources.

Below is the most up-to-date information for various Central Texas cities, listed in alphabetical order.

BELLMEAD:

BELTON:

The City of Belton is asking residents to align their irrigation schedules according to odd and even address numbers to help balance early morning water demand.

The City says this is something that will help residents avoid drops in water pressure during the morning hours.

The City’s recommended irrigation schedule is on Sunday and Thursday for even addresses, and on Saturday and Wednesday for odd addresses.

BRUCEVILLE-EDDY:

The City of Bruceville-Eddy released a statement on July 20 on Stage 1 – Mild Water Shortage Conditions, effective immediately.

The City says that water customers are requested to limit the irrigation of landscaped areas:

Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, 8)

Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9)

For both of the above, the hours are also restricted to midnight – 10:00 a.m. and from 8:00 p.m. – midnight.

BRYAN:

The City of Bryan announced on July 25 that due to the ongoing drought, elevated temperatures, and excessive line breaks, water customers must voluntarily limit their amount of water usage for outdoor watering.

The City says that to mitigate the load on Bryan’s water system and ensure water is available for basic needs and fire protection, managing water use becomes increasingly important.

The City of Bryan is enacting Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan to raise public and customer awareness of water demand conditions.

“While the restrictions put in place at this stage are voluntary, if the community works together, implementing mandatory restrictions can be prevented,” said Public Works Director Jayson Barfknecht.

During this time, City of Bryan water customers are requested to voluntarily limit outdoor water use by participating in the following watering schedule for outdoor water use:

For addresses ending in 0, 1, 2 and Commercial Meters
- Designated watering days are Thursday and Sunday
For addresses ending in 3,4,5 and Homeowners Associations
- Designated watering days are Tuesday and Friday
For addresses ending in 6,7,8 and 9
- Designated watering days are Wednesday and Saturday

Outdoor water use is discouraged between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., except with hand-held buckets or hand-held hoses equipped with a positive pistol grip nozzle or other device that automatically shuts off water flow when the hose is not being used. The time restrictions do not apply to the irrigation of commercial plant nurseries, irrigation using reclaimed water, new landscape installation during installation and the first ten days, and the testing of new irrigation systems or existing irrigation systems being tested or under repair.

CLIFTON:

As of Sunday, July 17, the City of Clifton has issued mandatory water restrictions for all water customers – allowing customers only two watering days per week. The water schedule is:

Sunday & Thursday – Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6)

Wednesday & Saturday – Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9)

Tuesday & Friday – Commercial (Hospital, Businesses, Churches and School)

There will be no watering on Mondays

Watering times will be between the hours of 12:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. – 11:59 p.m. Watering between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. is prohibited.

Irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at any time if a resident is using a handheld hose, bucket or watering can of five gallons or less, or a drip irrigation system. Use of water to wash any vehicle, boat, trailer, airplane, or other vehicle is prohibited – except on designated days.

Anyone trying to establish a new lawn can contact City Hall and ask for a variance pertaining to the request.

COLLEGE STATION:

The City of College Station has recently had a streak of nine straight days of 100-degree temperatures, breaking a record set in 2009. This led to a rapid rise in water demand as the City went from averaging 14 million gallons per day in May to more than 20 million daily for nearly two weeks.

On July 14, Water Services Program Coordinator Jennifer Nations said the city has used 24 million gallons per day every day since July 6. Nations said, “I don’t believe we have ever had that level of usage for this long. Ever. And I’ve been here basically forever.”

The spike in water demand is driven by irrigation. Here are some tips for College Station citizens to help maintain landscapes while using water resources efficiently:

DON’T water every day to keep things from drying out. Daily watering encourages grass to develop shallow roots that quickly become stressed. And watering every day makes lawns looks worse. Instead, ensure the soil is thoroughly soaked when using water.
DO switch to the Cycle and Soak method of watering. Set sprinklers to run for 5-10 minutes, let the water soak in for an hour, and then repeat. Do this 3-4 times, 1-2 days per week.
DON’T run systems with broken or missing sprinkler heads. Sprinkler heads can frequently get out of alignment, resulting in thousands of gallons of drinking water running down the street — and hundreds of dollars flowing out of bank accounts. Instead, turn the system off until you or a licensed irrigator can repair it.
DO check sprinklers monthly, or even weekly. Ensure they are watering grass, not pavement, look for missing or broken heads, and check for leaks. Your controller may have a test setting allowing each station to run for a few minutes, or you can use the single station setting and run each one individually.
DON’T water from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Up to 60 percent of sprinkler irrigation is lost to evaporation by watering in the hottest part of the day. Besides, watering from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. is a city ordinance violation.
DO check out the Brazos Valley Water Smart website. The site tracks rainfall throughout Brazos County and emails weekly watering recommendations.
DON’T assume someone else has reported a water leak. If you see a leak, report it to Utility Dispatch at 855-528-4278.
DO contact Water Services for a free landscape irrigation checkup if you have a high water bill or want to learn to operate your irrigation system efficiently.

For more information, you can contact Nations at 979-764-6223 or jnations@cstx.gov.

COPPERAS COVE:

The City of Copperas Cove issued a statement on August 8 saying that the Bell County Water Control and Improvement District #1 has recommended, and the City agrees, that voluntary conservation measures should be enacted to encourage the responsible use of water resources by residents, businesses and other entities.

Effective immediately, Mayor Dan Yancey has signed an Order for Stage Implementation, Water Restrictions – Stage 1 Ordered. Notification will be provided when voluntary restrictions are either terminated or revised.

Mayor Yancey says that all Copperas Cove citizens are encouraged to review and be familiar with the Stage 1 voluntary restrictions as they are outlined in the documents here.

CRAWFORD:

As of Friday, June 24, due to drought conditions, the City of Crawford has implemented Stage 3 of the Drought contingency Plan for water restrictions. City of Crawford staff hand-delivering notices to all residents. The following text is taken from the City Water Restriction Notice:

Irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers is prohibited at all times. Automatic irrigation systems shall be limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0,2,4,6 or 8) and Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1,3,5,7 or 9), and irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to the hours of midnight until 4:00 a.m. on designated watering days. However, irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at any time if it is by means of a hand-held hose, a faucet-filled bucket or watering can of five gallons or less, or drip-irrigation system.

Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane, or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of midnight and 4:00 a.m. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rises. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station. Further, such washing may be exempt from these regulations if the health, safety, and welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.

Use of water to fill, refill, or to add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools, or jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of midnight and 4:00 a.m.

Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to firefighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare.

All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to patrons except upon request of the patron.

The following uses of water are defined as non-essential or prohibited:

Wash down of any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas
Use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection
Use of water for dust control
Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street
Failure to repair a controllable leak within reasonable period after receiving notice directing the repair of such leaks

The City says that any person who violates this drought contingency plan is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500.

Stage 3 restrictions are in effect until further notice. For further information or concerns, you can contact Crawford City Hall at 254-486-2125 on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

GATESVILLE:

The Gatesville Police and Fire Departments announced on July 29 that residents who receive their water from the City can return to the Stage 1 Drought Contingency Plan.

This comes after the City provided TCEQ with testing results on Gatesville water, and the Police Department posted on social media on July 28 that the water no longer requires boiling.

However, water conservation is still in effect – residents should continue to do their part to conserve water, as the water storage tanks throughout the regional water system are still being replenished.

This came after the Gatesville Fire Department posted on social media on July 27 that a Stage 3 Drought Emergency is in effect, and that residents should continue to conserve water.

Water Service was restored at at 3:45 a.m. on July 27. Water is in all storage tanks, although the Stage 3 Drought Emergency Restrictions are in place. The City of Gatesville says the boil order notice issued on July 26 was a required precaution when the water transmission line was compromised. The City says that most, if not all, of the water going in to the tanks now is completely treated and drinkable. Bacteriological samples were taken to Waco.

The City will stay in Stage 3 Drought Emergency until the system has been fully restored.

The Fire Department reported on July 27 that repairs at the Gatesville Regional Water Plant have been completed. The lines were tested overnight, and water started flowing again. Some residences said they now have water.

This comes after the Gatesville Police Department posted on social media Tuesday night that there was an emergency repair at the City’s Water Treatment Plant.

The department says the TCEQ requires notification of the need to boil their water prior to consumption. This notice includes Gatesville, Flat Water, Mountain Water, Fort Gates Water, The Grove Water, and Coryell City Water.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a rolling boil, and then boiled for two minutes.

This comes after the Gatesville Fire Department posted on social media on July 25 that due to a break in a major transmission line at the Gatesville Regional Water Plant, a Stage 3 Drought Emergency is in effect.

The department said that all customers who receive their water from Gatesville are impacted. Residents were urged to conserve water for the next 24 hours. The City Splash Pad is closed.

The Gatesville Fire Department said on July 26 that the Texas Division of Emergency Management has delivered bottled water to the City of Gatesville. The bottled water is available at the fire station, located at 109 S 23rd Street. If residents do stop by to pick up water, they should not park in front of the apparatus bays. Fire Department personnel will direct residents where to go. It is possible the department may be gone on an alarm, so residents should be patient if no one is readily available.

FOX 44 News received several calls about water being out at the Hughes Prison Unit in Gatesville. We reached out to the Texas Department of Corrections, which says it is true.

The TDC says water tankers, bottled water, ice, and portable toilets were brought in for inmates. They will remain until the water issue is fixed.

Outdoor watering and washing of vehicles is strictly prohibited, and violators are subject to a fine. Repair parts are on the way from Houston, and the department hopes things will be resolved as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can call Zeb Veazey at 254-499-0133.

GROESBECK:

The City of Groesbeck posted on social media on August 16 that effects of the ongoing drought continue to be felt by much of the area, and has strained many public water systems.

The Stage Two restrictions initiated by the City of Groesbeck in July helped reduce the daily consumption to approximately 600,000 gallons per day, but the extreme heat is causing the City to lose approximately five million gallons per day to evaporation.

Due to the ongoing drought and weather conditions, the City says it has become necessary to initiate Stage 3 water restrictions to continue to provide essential water to customers and to provide for firefighting efforts.

Stage 3 will become effective at 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, and applies to all City of Groesbeck retail water customers. The additional restrictions also suspend bulk water sales – however, the City of Mexia has agreed to service bulk water customers. Those customers can contact the City of Mexia at 254-562-4131 to make arrangements for bulk water service. All requirements of Stage 2 shall remain in effect during Stage 3, with the following modifications and additions:

The use of hose-end sprinklers or in-ground irrigation systems is prohibited at all times during Stage 3.
Residential use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited.
The filling or replenishing of water to swimming pools, hot tubs, wading pools, and other types of pools is prohibited.
Events involving the use of water such as car washes, festivals, parties, water slides, and other activities are prohibited.
Bulk water sales have been suspended.

The City of Groesbeck previously said that Stage 2 of its Drought Contingency Plan became effective at midnight on Monday, July 25. The City said these restrictions will be mandatory, and violators were subject to enforcement action.

The City asked for residents to comply with these restrictions as it worked to mitigate the effects of the high temperatures and lack of rainfall on the water supply.

For watering days, the City says that irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or in-ground irrigation systems shall be limted to a no-more-than twice weekly watering schedule. Customers on the west side of the railroad tracks may water on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. Customers on the east side of the railroad tracks may water on Thursdays and Sundays only. Watering hours are from midnight until 10:00 a.m., and from 7:00 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. on these days.

Residential car washing restrictions are prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of midnight at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. Residents are restricted to use of a bucket or a handheld hose equipped with a postitive shutoff nozzle.

The filling of new and existing swimming pools, hot tubs, or wading pools is prohibited. Replenishing to maintenance level is permitted.

Prohibited non-essential water use:

Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, streets, tennis courts, and other impervious surfaces unless it is for immediate health and safety.
Washing buildings, houses or structures if for aesthetic purposes only. Permitted only for surface preparation of maintenance work to be performed.
Flushing or flooding gutters unless for immediate health and safety.

Any questions regarding the restrictions should be directed to Public Works Director Keith Tilley at 254-729-3293, or City Administrator Chris Henson at 254-729-3497.

HEWITT:

The City of Hewitt announced some updates to its Stage 2 Drought Contingency Restrictions on August 16. Landscape and outdoor water usage is prohibited from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Also, hand-watering with water hoses or hose-end sprinklers is allowed on residents’ designated days, plus two additional days of the residents’ choice.

This comes after the City said on July 14 that it was obligated to follow the City of Waco in all water conservation and drought contingency restrictions. The City of Hewitt also had a well out of commission.

The City of Hewitt manager implemented the mandatory Stage 2 Drought Contingency Restrictions effective Thursday, July 14, and will remain in effect until further notice.

The following original restrictions apply unless specifically exempted:

All landscape and outdoor water usage at each service address shall be limited to two days a week based on the last digit in the meter service address or the type of connection; however, landscape and outdoor water usage is prohibited from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Last Digit Address Residential – Allowed Landscape Water Days

Odd – Tuesday and Saturday

Even – Wednesday and Sunday

All Non-Residential Accounts – Monday and Friday

There is to be no watering on Thursday – this is a storage recovery day.

All of the following water use exceptions are still prohibited from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.:

Apartments, offices, building complexes, or other properties containing multiple addresses will be identified by the lowest physical street address number. Where there are no numbers, a number will be assigned by the Building Official.
Watering of newly-installed landscaping is exempt from Stage 2 restrictions for no more than one month from the date of planting. Residents can apply for this exemption by contacting ksexton@cityofhewitt.com. After the first month, the landscape water day’s schedule and hourly restrictions must be followed.
Hand-watering is allowed on your designated days, plus two additional days of your choice. (For watering trees, plants and gardens) However, no watering is allowed on Thursdays.
Soaker hoses (foundations) are allowed on your designated days, plus two additional days of your choice. However, there is no watering allowed on Thursdays.

For more information, you can email ksexton@cityofhewitt.com.

KILLEEN:

The City of Killeen announced on October 11 that due to the cooler weather and the good citizen response to the Stage 1 voluntary water reduction, water demand has decreased considerably.

The City says that in order to maintain good water quality during these lower demands, flushing is required in specific locations to keep the water flowing throughout the entire water distribution system. For the next couple of days, water crews will be increasing their flushing in these locations through fire hydrants and automatic flushing units.

The City went on to thank the community for its help in keeping the water supply and water quality at its optimum levels for this time of the year and during this drought.

This comes after the City initiated Stage 1 of the Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan on August 2 – adopted by City Council.

Stage 1 is outlined as “Mild Water Shortage Conditions” and is defined as:

1. Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9).

2. Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas only between the hours of midnight to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. – midnight on designated watering days.

3. Water customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.

In addition, the National Weather Service and local forecasts confirm that July 2022 was the hottest, driest month on record in Central Texas.

For a look at the full Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan, you can visit the City of Killeen’s website at https://www.killeentexas.gov/322/Water-Conservation. It outlines regulations and restrictions which will help conserve the available water supply and protect the integrity of water supply facilities.

LACY LAKEVIEW:

The City of Lacy Lakeview has posted a statement saying it is obligated to follow the City of Waco in all Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Restrictions.

The City has implemented the mandatory Stage 2 Drought Contingency Restrictions effective this Friday, July 15. These restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. Mandatory restrictions Criminal penalties do apply during Stage 2 restrictions.

Upon implementation by the City, the following restrictions shall apply unless specifically exempted:

No watering between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
No watering on Thursdays.
All landscape and other outdoor water usage at each service address shall be limited to two days a week based on the address or type of account.
Odd number residential addresses may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays
Even number residential addresses may water on Wednesdays and Sundays
All Non-Residential Accounts may water on Monday and Fridays
Hand-watering is allowed on your designated days, plus two additional days of your choice. (For watering trees, plants, and gardens) No watering on Thursdays.
Soaker Hoses (Ex: foundations) are allowed on your designated days, plus two additional days of your choice. No watering on Thursdays.

For more information, you can email keith.bond@lacylakeview.org.

LORENA:

The City of Lorena announced on social media on August 11 that Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan is now in effect, and that water rationing is effective immediately.

This is not due to the City of Lorena hitting its trigger point for Stage 1, but because the Brazos River Authority has reached a storage capacity that requires Stage 1 of the City’s plan to be implemented. Lorena has a contractual requirement to follow the Brazos River Authority’s Drought Contingency Plan, due to the fact that Lorena owns water rights in the Brazos River. A large percentage of the City’s drinking water comes from the river.

The City said that water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) and Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9). Landscapes should be irrigated only between the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on designated watering days. There is no watering on Wednesdays.

The City previously said on July 13 that water customers were requested to practice water conservation, and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.

At that time, the City of Lorena wanted its customers to know that while Lorena was seeing an increase in demand for water consumption due to the current drought conditions, Lorena had a very robust water system functioning normally amid these conditions.

The City asked its water customers to voluntarily conserve water – including things like not watering lawns during peak hours, not washing down driveways, or watering lawns so heavily that runoff water extends more than ten feet from property lines.

The goal for this voluntary conservation was to preserve water for future generations to come, and to avoid having to issue any mandatory restrictions. The City said it would much rather see the community conserve water voluntarily than having the need to issue any type of mandatory restrictions.

KILLEEN:

The Killeen City Council put into effect the Stage 1 Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan on August 2.

Stage 1 is described as, “mild water shortage conditions.” This means that water customers are asked to voluntarily limit watering their yards to Sundays and Thursdays with a street address ending in an even number. Those with street addresses ending in an odd number should water on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

The city is also asking people to limit their watering to the hours of 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to midnight on their designated days.

For the full drought contingency and Water Conservation Plan, you can follow this link.

MARLIN:

As of 7 a.m. on August 3, Marlin citizens can now resume Drought Contingency Stage 4 water use regulations.

Mayor Carolyn Loftin said on August 2 that she is asking all citizens to please limit water usage. Due to the ongoing firefighting efforts, a strain is being put on the city lake.

Loftin said that citizens are encouraged to only use water for bathing, drinking and food preparation. Citizens are being asked to not to water lawns, not wash clothes, or complete any other task which can wait until the fire is under control. Loftin also reached out to the Governor’s office for assistance.

This comes after the City of Marlin says that Public Works crews finalized the repairs to the Brazos River pump on July 18. They started pumping water at a flow of 1,700 gallons per minute, which would put approximately 2.5 million gallons of water in the city lake within a 24-hour period.

Crews have monitored for leaks, and have found none. They will continue daily monitoring over the next several days.

In addition, divers were on site on July 18 to begin clearing sediment from the city lake. If everything holds for the next few days, the City is planning to reduce its Drought Contingency Plan to a Stage 2 on July 22.

On July 11, the City said its water supply is at a critical level, due to being below eight feet. This put the City at Stage 4 Critical Water Conditions.

The City said there was a significant amount of sediment affecting measurement levels. It was planned to have the Brazos River Pump up and running by the following week, as the City was waiting on a part needed to fix the pump.

The City continues to monitor lake levels daily, and will be updating citizens. The goal of a Stage 4-Critical Water Shortage is to achieve a 40 percent reduction in daily water demand, and to conserve water resources in the face of extreme heat and low lake levels.

The following restrictions apply to all citizens. All requirements of Stage 2 and 3 shall remain in effect except:

Irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to designated watering days between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and between 8:00 p.m. and midnight, and shall be by means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets (less than five gallons), or drip irrigation only. The use of hose-end sprinklers or permenantly installed timed or untimed automatic sprinkler systems are prohibited at all times.
Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle not occurring on the premises of a commercial car wash and commercial service stations and not in the immediate interest of public health, safety, and welfare is prohibited. Further, such vehicle washing at commercial car washes and commercial service stations shall occur only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
The filling, refilling, or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools, and jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited.
Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

The City says that anyone who violates this plan is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished with a fine not less than $100 and not more than $500.

ROBINSON:

On July 11, the City of Robinson started asking for customers to begin conserving water immediately.

Due to continuing drought conditions and the extremely hot weather in the area, the City moved to Stage 2 of its Drought Contingency Plan. The City asked customers to voluntarily limit watering their landscape to only two times per week. The city adhered to its part by discontinuing the flushing of water mains, except as required for sanitary sewer purposes during this stage of the plan.

Limit landscape watering to two days per week
Water between the hours of Midnight to 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. to Midnight on designated water days.
Addresses ending in an even number water Thursdays and Sundays
Addresses ending in an odd number water Wednesdays and Saturdays
Hand-watering allowed on all days of the week
Minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes

The City reminded citizens on July 27 that it is currently in Phase 2 of the Drought Contingency Plan. Phase 2 of the Drought Contingency Plan asks customers to make “voluntary” efforts to reduce water usage.

The City says that one of the reasons for a Drought Contingency Plan is to ensure the City is able to maintain adequate water levels in order to provide necessary services. Phase 2 was implemented on July 11, but the City is not seeing a reduction in usage. The most recent billing cycle showed an increase in water usage on many customers’ accounts – which not only hinders efforts of conserving, but also makes for a higher than average water bill for customers.

If the City has to implement Phase 3 of its Drought Contingency Plan, water restrictions are mandatory and will include penalties for violation.

Suggested watering days for specific addresses and times to water will all become mandatory
Customers with a street address ending in an even number will only be allowed to water on Sundays and Thursdays
Customers with a street address ending in an odd number will only be allowed to water on Saturdays and Wednesdays
Watering times will only be allowed between midnight and 10 a.m., and between 8 p.m. and midnight
Watering of landscaped areas will continue to be allowed but must be done by either a handheld hose, a faucet-filled bucket or watering can of five gallons or less, or a drip irrigation system
Use of water to wash motor vehicles (including motorcycles, boats, trailers, airplanes, or other vehicles) will only be allowed during the customer’s assigned watering days and allowable hours (mentioned above) and must be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing will still be allowed at commercial car washes or commercial service stations. There is an exemption for vehicles that require washing to keep the health, safety, and welfare of the public
Filling, refilling, or adding of water to any indoor or outdoor swimming pool, wading pool, or Jacuzzi-type pool will only be allowed during the customers designated water days and the designated times (mentioned above)
Only fountains or ponds used to support aquatic life or equipped with a recirculating water system will be allowed to operate
Use of water hydrants will be limited to firefighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety, and welfare. The use of fire hydrants for construction purposes will require a special permit issued by the City
All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to patrons except upon request of the patron
The following non-essential uses of water will be prohibited – wash down of any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas; use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection; use of water for dust control; flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street; and failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak(s)

Fortunately, the City says it has been able to stay voluntary – but the future does not look promising with weather conditions forecasted to continue being hot and dry.

Residents can also call (254) 662-1415 with any concerns or questions. The drought contingency plan can also be viewed at https://bit.ly/ConserveRobinsonWater.

ROGERS:

The City of Rogers posted on social media on August 18 that repairs to the water pipeline leak on Highway 436 and Three Forks have been completed. The City says that customers no longer have to restrict or ration their water usage, but should continue to follow the Stage 1 Drought Contingency Plan for conservation.

This comes after the City posted on social media August 17 that it was under a Stage 4 Emergency Condition due to a water pipeline leak from a casing under a road on Highway 436 and Three Forks.

The City said crews were working on repairs, and that it might take days for customers to recover full water service. Customers were asked to restrict water usage.

The customers affected were in the areas of Armstrong, B-M-F, Little Elm, Bell County WCID #5, Salem-Elm Ridge WSC, the Town of Buckholts, East Bell WSC, the City of Lott, O & B, the City of Rogers, the City of Rosebud, Westphalia WSC, Mooreville and Rosebud-Lott ISD.

TEAGUE:

The Teague Police Department posted on social media on the morning of August 1 that the Public Works Department has implemented Stage 1 of Drought Response. The City is asking everyone do their part to help conserve water.

Stage 1 triggers are considered mild water shortage conditions.

The voluntary lawn watering schedule involves customers living north of Main Street/Highway 179 only being able to water on even-numbered days of the month. Those who live south of Main Street/Highway 179 can only water on odd-numbered days of the month.

TEMPLE:

The City of Temple posted on social media on July 7 that is was time for residents to help conserve water, due to the drought. The City says protecting water resources is vital – and that simple tasks such as turning off the water while brushing your teeth, washing full loads of laundry, and being mindful of shower time can all add up to significant water savings.

The City says it is also a good idea to limit landscape watering to one-to-two days per week, and only before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. Residents are encouraged everyone to keep these routines going, and to continue to conserve water year-round.

TROY:

The City of Troy has experienced a major water line break in the vicinity of Interstate 35 and West Main Street.

City Administrator Gary O. Smith said in a statement on August 19 that the break has caused a water outage on the west side of the city. Crews are responding to begin repairs.

Smith says all Troy water customers are urged to immediately stop any unnecessary use of water until further notice.

As of around 10:45 a.m. Friday, Smith says crews have isolated the break and have stopped the majority of the loss of water. Water has been restored to all areas of the city, except for one apartment building near the break. The repairs will take several hours to complete.

Residents may use water as they need to, but the City continues to ask for reasonable conservation as the system recharges. There is no need to boil water.

WACO:

The City of Waco has announced that mandatory water restrictions are in effect.

The City of Waco issued an update on August 15, saying that as a result of these restrictions, water production is down about 9.6 percent compared to pre-restriction levels generating a cumulative savings of about 98.27 million gallons (MG) of water (roughly 2.2 days of water use).

As of August 15, the City of Waco is shifting allowable watering times to offer two more hours in the morning for watering – from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. No watering is allowed between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on any day. There are no changes to the current watering schedule based on residents’ addresses.

Additionally, the City says that buried drip irrigation systems will be allowed to run every day. Hand-watering continues to be allowed every day of the week. Hand-watering excludes the use of a sprinkler attached to a hose.

As the water levels continue to decline, the City of Waco is projecting a transition to Stage 3 restrictions between late October to early November.

These mandatory restrictions come after Lake Waco’s water level continues to decline. This previously warranted the move into Stage 2 of the City’s drought contingency plan to protect the water source. Under this stage in the plan, violations could reach up to $2,000.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can call (254) 299-CITY (2489) or contact the City through wacowater.com.

WEST:

The City of West says that due to drought conditions, hot weather, and no rain in the future forecast- the Stage 2 Drought Contingency Plan will take effect on Thursday, July 21.

The City of Waco provides surface water to offset the City of West’s well water, and since the City of Waco has moved to Stage 2, the City of West needs to help conserve water as much as possible.

Stage 2 is designed to encourage customers to conserve water during periods when water supplies are unusually limited. Outside watering is only allowed during the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

The City of West will keep all customers notified of any changes.

WOODWAY:

The City of Woodway has joined other Central Texas area cities in announcing watering restrictions as area lake levels continue to fall.

Woodway’s restrictions will go into effect this Friday morning at 12:01 a.m., and will allow customers only three watering days per week.

City Staff will continue to monitor conditions and advise of any changes. These restrictions pertain to irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems.

City officials say they will adhere to this plan as well, and they continue to find ways to cut back on water use by 25 percent.

The following restrictions will go into effect Friday: