Watering Restrictions

WATER RESTRICTIONS APPROVED FEBRUARY 19, 2008

Stage 1 - Water Watch (Goal is to decrease use by 5%)

  • Prohibit hosing of paved areas, such as sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other impervious surfaces, except to alleviate an immediate health or safety hazard.
  • Prohibit hosing of buildings or other structures for purposes other than fire protection or surface preparation prior to painting.
  • Prohibit using water in such a manner as to allow runoff or other waste, including:
    • failure to repair a controllable leak, including broken sprinkler head, a leaking valve, leaking or broken pipes or a leaking faucet;
    • operating a permanently installed irrigation system with:
      • a broken head;
      • a head that is out of adjustment and the arc of the spray head is over a street or parking lot;
      • a head that is misting because of high water pressure;
    • during irrigation, allowing water to
      • run off a property and form a stream of water in a street for a distance of 50 feet or greater;
      • to pond in a street or parking lot to a depth greater than one-quarter of an inch.
  • Prohibit outdoor watering with sprinklers or irrigation systems between 10 am and 6 pm.
  • Limit landscape watering with sprinklers or irrigation systems at each service address to twice per week.  Includes landscape watering of parks, golf courses and sports fields.
    • Designated watering day will be as follows:
      • Addresses with even numbers - Monday and Thursday
      • Addresses with odd numbers - Tuesday and Friday 
    • Foundations and trees may be watered up to two hours on any day by hand-held hose; or using a soaker hose or drip system.
    • Watering restrictions do not apply to locations using well water or treated wastewater effluent for irrighation.
  • Washing of any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle shall be limited to the use of a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses.  Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station.  Further, such washing may be exempt from these requirements if the health, safety, and welfare of the public are contingent upon frequent vehicle cleaning, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.
  • All customers are encouraged to reduce frequency of draining and refilling swimming pools.
  • All customers are encouraged to use Texas native and drought tolerant plants in landscaping.

Stage 2 - Water Warning (Goal is to decrease use by 10%)

  • Limit landscape watering with sprinklers or irrigation systems to once every seven days. Outdoor watering schedule is as follows as per the General Manager
    • Wednesday - Even addresses: Midnight to 10 am and 6pm to Midnight
    • Friday - Odd addresses: Midnight to 10 am and 6 pm to Midnight 
      • Exceptions:
        • Foundations may be watered up to two hours on any day by hand-held hose; or using a soaker hose or drip system.
        • Once per week watering restrictions do not apply to locations using well water or treated wastewater effluent for irrigation.
        • The exception for New Sod and Builders in Drought Contingency Plan has been removed.  Everyone must follow the same watering schedule.
  • All customers are encouraged to wait until the current drought or emergency situation has passed before establishing new landscaping.
  • Prohibit the use of water for dust control, except as required to protect public health.
  • Prohibit the operation of ornamental fountains or ponds that use potable water except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.
  • Prohibit filling of swimming pools with automatic valves.

Stage 3 - Water Emergency (Goal is to decrease use by 30%)

  • Prohibit all landscape watering, including parks, golf courses and sports fields.
    • Foundations and trees may be watered up to 2 hrs a day by hand-held hose, soaker hose or drip irrigation.
  • Prohibit establishment of new landscaping.
  • Vehicle washing restricted to commercial car wash or commercial service station and can only be done as necessary for health, sanitation, or safety reasons, including, but not limited to, the washing of garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and other perishables. All other vehicle washing is prohibited.
  • Prohibit the operation of ornamental fountains or ponds that use potable water except where necessary to support aquatic life.
  • Prohibit the draining, filling or refilling of swimming pools, wading pools and Jacuzzi type pools.  Existing private and public pools may add water to maintain pool levels; however, they may not be refilled using automatic fill valves.
Enforcement:

The District shall have the right of civil suit and proceeding against any person who violates this Plan.  The District will file a complaint with the Justice of the Peace in which district the apparent violation occurs.  Each day that one or more of the provisions in this Plan is violated shall constitute a seperate violation.  If a person is alleged to have violated this Plan three (3) times, the District will discontinue water service to the premises where such violations occur.