The City of Nacogdoches has recently initiated stage two of its drought conservation plan which will take effect March 1st. “With drought conditions expected to last well into 2012 we felt it was necessary to have Stage 2 in place before the spring and summer seasons,” said City Manager Jim Jeffers. Nacogdoches has been lucky to receive some rainfall recently; however significant additional rainfall would be needed to bring the Lake back to normal levels. The Lake is currently 11.8 feet below normal pool. Current lake levels would not be enough to sustain us through the summer months if we received the same rainfall and maintained water usage numbers similar to 2011. “It will be imperative that usage numbers decrease as we head into the hot summer months to sustain Lake Nacogdoches,” said Jeffers.
Stage 2 of the City’s Drought Contingency ordinance mandates a 30% reduction in landscape irrigation, the number one use of the City’s water resources. Residents must adhere to the mandatory irrigation schedule. Residents with even numbered home addresses are encouraged to only water their lawns on Thursdays from 8 p.m. until Friday morning’s at 8 a.m. and Sundays from 8 p.m. to Monday morning’s at 8 a.m. Residents with odd numbered home addresses are encouraged to only water their lawns on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to Thursday morning’s at 8 a.m. and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to Sunday morning’s 8 a.m. “It is crucial that citizens actually reduce their landscape irrigation consumption, otherwise the schedule is meaningless,” said Jeffers.
Stage 2 also places restrictions on non-essential water uses besides landscape irrigation. Citizens may only wash vehicles, boats, trailers, etc. between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight on their designated watering days. In addition Citizens may only fill, refill or add water to pools, Jacuzzis etc. between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Other non essential water uses are prohibited entirely:
- Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts etc.
- washing down buildings or structures for purposes other than fire protection
- dust control
- flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street
- failure to repair a controllable leak within a reasonable period of time
Stage 2 also requires that restaurants only serve water to patrons when requested.
Effective March 1st, the City’s ascending water rate schedule will also go into effect. The City encourages residents to spend a few extra minutes looking at their water bills this month. Taking a closer look at your water bill can help indentify leaks and even pinpoint activities that consume large amounts of water. An average of 8% of all home water use is wasted through leaks. “Residents should study their water bill, so they can become cognizant of their water consumption, and take steps to help conserve during this drought,” said Jeffers. Ascending water rates for Stage 2 of the drought contingency plan are:
| First 2,000 gallons | $11.03 |
| 2,001 to 10,000 gallons | $3.01 per 1,000 gallons |
| 10,001 to 20,000 gallons | $6.00 per 1,000 gallons |
| 20,001 to 30,00 gallons | $8.00 per 1,000 gallons |
| Over 30,001 gallons | $10.00 per 1,000 gallons |
A complete list of water conservation tips, ordinance information, and Stage 2 of the Drought contingency plan can be found on the City’s facebook page and on the City’s website www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us. Interested residents can also obtain a copy of further advanced stages of the drought contingency plan by contacting the City Engineering Department at 936-559-2516.
