adapted from an article appearing
Sunday, March 12, 2000

Alternate-week watering now in effect for Abilene

New drought restrictions are now in place in Abilene.

Under an updated drought contingency ordinance passed by the City Council Thursday March 9, 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. 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.

(See the graphics at right to determine which days and weeks your half of town is permitted to water.)

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.

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.