Stage 1 Drought Web Graphic
Effective Tuesday, the City of College Station is initiating Stage 1 mandatory water restrictions under the city’s Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Plan.
Recent high temperatures have led to near-record water demand and moved Brazos County into severe drought with elevated fire danger. Current conditions require the restrictions for College Station water system customers to ensure public health and safety if water lines break, a large fire occurs, or equipment malfunctions.
Stage 1 can be enacted when the three-day average daily water consumption reaches 85% of our production/distribution capacity. The mandatory measures under Stage 1 are designed to reduce daily demand by five percent and keep it under 85% of system capacity.
To help the distribution system keep pace with demand, College Station water customers should only water their landscapes twice weekly, based on their address (shown below). As always, landscape irrigation using automatic in-ground or hose-end sprinkler systems is not allowed between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to prevent water loss from evaporation.
These types of watering are allowed anytime: hand-held hoses with a nozzle that shuts off when not in use; pressure washing systems; buckets and watering cans; and drip irrigation and soaker hoses.
Activities allowed under Stage 1 include commercial car washes, commercial nurseries irrigating their plants, the planting and irrigation (for 10 days) of new landscapes, and testing and repairing irrigation systems.
The watering schedules for city-owned properties are aligned with the twice-weekly watering schedule, and operations have been adjusted to ensure efficient use of resources. The fields at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex use reclaimed water and are exempt from the restrictions.
Earlier this month, College Station strongly encouraged water customers to limit non-essential water use and voluntarily limit irrigation to twice weekly. We are grateful for the customers who reduced their usage and made a positive impact.
For more conservation tips, go to cstx.gov/water. Weekly weather-based watering recommendations are also available at Brazos Valley WaterSmart.
Courtesy of the City of College Station
