Area leaders encourage residents to conserve water as drought conditions worsen in the Brown County area with Brown County Water Improvement District and cities within the county preparing to implement Stage 3 water restrictions.
According to Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree, although the city remains in the Stage 2 of the Drought Contingency Plan, Brown County Water Improvement District is preparing to enter Stage 3 as the lake level continues to decline. It is expected that early next week the lake will reach the 1410 msl (mean sea level), the point which requires Stage 3 to be implemented by BCWID. Currently the lake is at 1410.7 msl.
The City of Brownwood is planning to amend their Stage 3 plan and then follow BCWID in implementing Stage 3 at next week’s city council meeting.
Rountree said that it is important to achieve the 10% reduction under Stage 3; however, it will also be more difficult to meet the 10% reduction.
“A couple of factors that will make it more difficult for the City to achieve the 10% reduction are the start of the school year – BISD and HPU,” said Rountree. “We encourage all to help achieve the goal of a 10% reduction. If we do not achieve this goal, Stage 4 of the Drought Contingency plan will be implemented. Stage 4 eliminates all outside watering and includes a surcharge for excessive usage.”
A proposed amendment to the City of Brownwood’s Drought Contingency Plan Stage 3 will change the approved watering times to 7:00pm-9:00am. Hand held or a drip watering system of trees/shrubs will be allowed on designated days. Rountree said that the City of Early will update their Stage 3 plan to match for consistency.
The Stage 3 contingency plan for Brownwood is outlined below with the bolded items the proposed changes to be approved at the August 23 city council meeting.
Stage 3:
- Continuation of Stage 2.
- All personal, non-household water use is restricted to designated days between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Designated days defined as: (a) Any odd number calendar day, odd numbered residences may water. (b) Any even numbered calendar day, even numbered residences may water.
- Totally prohibit irrigation of City parks and outside school areas. Hand held or a drip watering system of trees/shrubs is allowed on designated days.
- Commercial use of water to be reduced 20%. (Commercial users will be advised to eliminate outside watering to help reach this goal.)
- Minimize indoor use.
- Reduction in use goal is 10%.
- Penalties include
- Warning, house call.
- Turn-off and reconnect fee.
- Complains filed through ordinance provisions.
Area residents can continue to water under the Stage 2 restrictions for now until notices go out to media implementing Stage 3.
