The Brown County Water Improvement District #1 (BCWID) board of directors is taking a hard look at implementing Stage 4 water restrictions as the level of Lake Brownwood drops with the onset of warmer weather.
As of Tuesday, Lake Brownwood was 12.12 feet below spillway level at 1412.88 msl (mean sea level) which is a drop of .6 of a foot since this same time last month. The decline rate is expected to increase as temperatures, wind and summer consumption rates increase.
“Everyone needs to observe the restrictions, and as we continue through this summer, right now we are 1.8 feet from the trigger point on Stage 4,” said BCWID General Manager Dennis Spinks. “Stage 4 will be no outside watering.”
Spinks said that their wholesale water customers such as Brownwood and Early will be required to have a 50% reduction in water usage which will be passed on to residential water users through the Stage 4 restrictions.
“We will need to review that at our meeting in July to see where we stand as far as lake levels, if we have had any rain,” Spinks said. “We will have to be more stringent on enforcement and one of those enforcements could be a surcharge on that water.”
The district will meet with local municipalities and retail water providers to discuss the tighter water restrictions and their enforcement for more consistency.
BCWID officials said that they will consider implementing Stage 4 restrictions next month after they evaluate the lake levels at that time. The trigger for Stage 4 is 14 feet below spillway level, but the board could implement the next stage before that level if they think it is necessary.
“Right now, all the long range forecasts say it will be hotter and dryer than normal,” Spinks said.
The Stage 4 restrictions would not only prohibit all outdoor residential watering, but irrigators including golf courses would have to reduce water usage by 50%.
“We want the public to be aware that we may have to enact Stage 4 if we don’t get any significant rainfall in the next month,” Spinks said.
The board originally implemented Stage 3 restrictions in September 2011 and has maintained that level since that time.
In other action taken by the BCWID Board of Directors Tuesday:
*The board approved payment of $9,240 to DB Stephens & Associates for additional services rendered during the test well bidding process.
*The board approved payment in an amount not to exceed $116,444.75 to DB Stephens & Associates for a work order for the test well bidding, oversight, analysis and reporting.
*The board approved fireworks permits for two locations on Lake Brownwood for the 4th of July weekend.
