Sunday, March 12, 2000
Alternate-week watering now
in effect for Abilene
New drought restrictions are in place today
in Abilene.
Under an updated drought contingency ordinance
passed by the City Council Thursday, city residents can sprinkle
their lawns only once every two weeks.
Previously, residents were allowed to water
one day per week.
Violators will be fined beginning today.
With court costs, the first violation will cost abusers more than
$70.
As with the previous ordinance, people will
still water on days determined by their street address. But the
new guidelines further re-strict watering with sprinklers to one-half
of the city at a time.
Eastside residents may water this week.
Westside residences must wait until the
week of March 19.
The Abilene Reporter-News will publish a
graphic each day detailing when residents can water their lawns.
If the city’s water usage rises to
more than 30 million gallons a day for three straight days, all
lawn sprinkling will be prohibited.
Last week, Abilenians used about 17 million
gallons a day.
The 30 million-gallon budget comes from
the capacity of the city’s two pipelines to Hubbard Creek
Reservoir.
Last summer, water usage rose above 40 million
gallons a day several times as Abilenians tried to tend to their
lawns during the hot, dry months.
If the city goes into the next stage of
the water ordinance, people will not be allowed to sprinkle again
until the city’s reservoirs receive rain.
People still may water with hand-held hoses,
soaker hoses and drip irrigation at any time, as long as runoff
from the property does not surpass 75 feet.
Council members voiced hope that the new
ordinance would keep the city’s water department from imposing
new restrictions and eventually shutting off residential sprinklers
altogether.
Copyright ©2000,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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