Update:The City of Brownwood Monday issued the following statement:
“City of Brownwood water usage has dropped since enacting Stage 1 of the Drought Contingency Plan. Brownwood’s water usage has dropped 3.7% of the 10% we had hoped for to keep the restrictions voluntary. Sadly, much of the reduction was achieved through reduction of watering to city parks and facilities. If you drive through town you can still see water running down the streets and standing in parking lots. Brownwood utility staff is getting calls asking them to contact the offenders.
The citizens and businesses of Brownwood will control their own destiny. Citizens need to reduce the automatic sprinkler times or days, water only the grassy areas and not the sidewalks and streets, and water in cooler times of the day. Outdoor watering accounts for 60% of all water used in the City of Brownwood. In winter months, the city can provide all of it’s needs with about 2 million gallons a day including use by the industrial parks, TYC, Havens Unit national Guard and wholesale usage by Zephyr WSC. We were using 6 million gallons per day when conservation was requested. If outdoor watering is reduced by 10%, it will save enough to provide water to 2500 homes a day. The City of Brownwood is asking everyone to do their part.”
*June 19, 2011: Since the implementation of Stage 1 of the City of Brownwood’s Drought Contingency Plan, citizens have been asked to conserve water and meet the goal of a 6-10% reduction of usage as requested by Brown County Water Improvement District (BCWID) of all their water wholesalers.
As of Friday, the usage of water by Brownwood residents had actually increased since the request, which is normal according to Director of Public Works David Harris. Harris said, “the first day (of the voluntary restrictions) didn’t go well”.
“Voluntary reductions requests sometimes cause residents to use more water, that’s what’s happening here since the news got word out about Stage 1,” stated Harris. “There were actually 280,000 more gallons used in one day than each of the last 6 days which were within 100,000 gallons of each other, averaging approximately 680,000/day.”
Harris explained that people usually water more when asked to conserve and rationalize that this is their chance to get some really good watering in before mandatory restrictions go into effect. He also said most people will cut back after seeing their next water bill increase from this extra usage of water.
“We can meet the numbers (that are needed for the 6-10% reduction as requested by BCWID) if we all work at cutting back,” said Harris. “Water bills are going to be high because people have over done it.”
He explained that if people can simply cut back usage such as running sprinkler systems 3 days a week rather than 7 (which will still keep a yard green). People who use a hose and sprinkler to water can also help by making sure that the sprinkler is set where water doesn’t blow away or run into the street causing waste. Harris said to run sprinkler with less pressure, which makes the water actually hit the ground in larger droplets which don’t blow away. Harris also said to run sprinklers a little longer so that water gets deep into the ground rather than the high spraying sprinkler which makes a mist that blows away and evaporates a large portion of the water being used.
If Brownwood and the surrounding cities and communities do not meet the requested 6-10% usage, Stage 2 of the BCWID water contingency will go into effect causing each of the cities to implement their own set of water saving measures, which can include restrictions or even higher water pricing according to Harris.
Harris stated that the City of Brownwood is working hard to help in this reduction of use. They have eliminated watering grass at city parks (roses and trees will still be watered); ceased watering outside the ball fields (ball fields will still be watered); and are recycling some of the water the city uses for construction projects. Harris estimated that the city may reach an internal reduction of approximately 40% with these steps, which should help the numbers over all for Brownwood.
A letter encouraging its employees to do their part in meeting this goal has been mailed out and the Stage 1 Drought Contingency Notice has been posted at several city buildings including City Hall and at the Law Enforcement Center.
If the 6-10% voluntary reduction does not happen before next week’s deadline, the City of Brownwood may implement restrictions such as prohibiting watering during the hours of 10am-6pm; cutbacks for city parks and schools of 50% of their usual usage; prohibiting water waste (such as letting water flowing down a street from watering a yard or not fixing a leak); prohibiting filling swimming pools overwatering. This second stage of the City of Brownwood’s Drought Contingency plan has a goal of another 10% decrease in water usage citywide.
“If people do their part and cut a little back (on usage), we’ll be fine,” assured Harris.
Information on ways to conserve water is available at Brownwood city hall and on the city website http://www.ci.brownwood.tx.us/.
The City of Brownwood suggests that the best way to conserve large amounts of water and maintain a healthy landscape is to water between 6pm in the evening until no later than 10am in the morning, and to watch sprinklers to ensure they don’t run water down the street.
