Users of Boerne’s reclaimed water utility now may be facing the same drought restrictions on landscape irrigation as potable water users. Additionally, weekend watering may be eliminated for all Boerne utility users during any drought stage. The value of water across the Hill Country continues to rise as drought reigns heavy over the region with little signs of letting up, and the Boerne City Council is eyeing several measures to help mitigate water concerns in the short-term. The council likely will amend its ordinances to apply the same drought stage restrictions on landscape irrigation to reclaimed water as potable water, limiting the use to a day of the week based on address during drought restrictions.
The move to amend the ordinances comes after a lengthy discussion among councilmembers on how to better mitigate water conservation. Rate increases on reclaimed water were imposed last year after District 2 Councilmember Nina Woolard reported heavy misuse of the resource in her service area. But the council discussion indicated this did little in the way of conservation. Based on the conversation Tuesday, rate increase are likely coming again later this year.
“When we were first starting the whole reclaimed water, we had this discussion because the areas happen to be in my district that were using the reclaim,” Woolard said during the council’s last meeting. “And I was getting a lot of comments from citizens that they thought the reclaim was being wasted. And we had the discussion to raise the rates on it.
“I personally think we really need to look at putting the same watering restrictions on reclaim that we have on potable because it’s just human nature, if you can water every day, they’re going to use it.”
Currently, reclaimed water users only are restricted to hours of the day rather than days of the week, avoiding the hottest hours of the day when the evaporation rate makes lawn irrigation impractical.
Beyond the expansion of drought stage application to reclaimed water, council members also may eliminate weekend watering under all drought stages and change the restrictions on what time of day lawn irrigation is permitted. Soon, lawn irrigation may only be allowed once per week under every drought stage – potable or reclaimed sources alike.
Current Stage 1 drought restrictions allowed lawn irrigation twice a week, including one weekday based on address and once per weekend with the caveat that no water was allowed between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The proposed changes would eliminate weekend watering all together and only allow watering between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The drought stage changes are part of an effort to better match the increased drought restrictions set forth by San Antonio Water Systems, with Boerne Utilities Director Mike Mann said have diverged from the city’s drought restrictions over the years. However, such changes will require public hearings.
Essentially, Mann said the city’s drought stages essentially will shift up one stage. For example, under the proposed drought conditions, Stage 1 will now more closely resemble the city’s existing Stage 2 restrictions.
The city council is expected to review the proposed changes and hear a list of incentive options to promote water conservation, including electric and remote water metering, at its next meeting at 6 p.m. July 26.
Existing irrigation hours:
• 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. under Stage 1, 2 and 3.
• No irrigation under Stage 4.
Proposed irrigation hours:
• Stage 1 – Midnight to 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight.
• Stages 2 and 3 – 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.
• No landscape irrigation under Stage 4.
• No weekend watering allowed.
Watering day by address:
• Monday – ending in 0 or 1.
• Tuesday – ending in 2 or 3.
• Wednesday – ending in 4 or 5.
• Thursday – ending in 6 or 7.
• Friday – ending in 8 or 9.
Comment
Comments