Stages of Water Restriction

Stage 1 - Mild Water Shortage Conditions Target Water Use: The goal for water use reduction under this drought stage is to limit total treated water use by all system users to less than 4.5 MGD. Demand Management Measures:

• Encourages the voluntary reduction of water use.
• Contact commercial users and explain the necessity for initiation of conservation methods.
• Request wholesale water customers initiate voluntary measures to reduce water use.

Stage 2 - Moderate Water Shortage Conditions Target Water Use: The goal for water use reduction under this drought stage is to limit total treated water use by all system users to less than 3.5 MGD. Demand Management Measures:

• Restricting the use of water for watering foundations. 
• Restricting use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, and any other type of mobile equipment. 
• Prohibiting the washing of building exteriors and interiors, trailers, trailer houses and railroad cars with potable water. 
• Restricting the use of water for recreational uses. 
• Restricting the use of fire hydrants for any purpose other than firefighting. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water in ornamental foundations or in artificial waterfalls.
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced area, or building or structure. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water for dust control. 
• Limiting the use of potable water to irrigate golf courses. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to put new agricultural land into production. 
• Denying applications for new, additional, further expanded, or increase-insize water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or other water service facilities of any kind.

Stage 3 - Critical Water Shortage Conditions Target Water Use: The goal for water use reduction under this drought stage is to limit total treated water use by all system users to less than 3.0 MGD. Demand Management Measures:

• Restricting the use of water for watering foundations. 
• Restricting use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, and any other type of mobile equipment. 
• Prohibiting the washing of building exteriors and interiors, trailers, trailer houses and railroad cars with potable water. 
• Restricting the use of water for recreational uses. 
• Restricting the use of fire hydrants for any purpose other than firefighting. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water in ornamental foundations or in artificial waterfalls.
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced area, or building or structure. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water for dust control. 
• Limiting the use of potable water to irrigate golf courses. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to put new agricultural land into production. 
• Denying applications for new, additional, further expanded, or increase-insize water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or other water service facilities of any kind.

Stage 4 - Emergency Water Shortage Conditions Target Water Use: The goal for water use reduction under this drought stage is to limit total treated water use by all system users to less than 2.5 MGD. Demand Management Measures: 

• Restricting the use of water for watering foundations. 
• Restricting use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, boats, and any other type of mobile equipment. 
• Prohibiting the washing of building exteriors and interiors, trailers, trailer houses and railroad cars with potable water. 
• Restricting the use of water for recreational uses. 
• Restricting the use of fire hydrants for any purpose other than firefighting. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water in ornamental foundations or in artificial waterfalls.
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, or other hard-surfaced area, or building or structure. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water for dust control. 
• Limiting the use of potable water to irrigate golf courses. 
• Prohibiting the use of potable water to put new agricultural land into production. 
• Denying applications for new, additional, further expanded, or increase-insize water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or other water service facilities of any kind.

Important

• Notification of System Users: The City Manager, or his/her designee, will contact wholesale water customers to discuss water supply and/or demand conditions and will request that wholesale water customers initiate voluntary measures to reduce water use. 
• The City Manager will notify retail water users through posting via the City’s website, and the TCEQ via phone and written correspondence within five working days of rescinding any stage water restrictions.