According to a press release, the ban reflects the city entering Phase 1 of its drought contingency plan, which is in response to the Brazos River Authority entering Stage 1 drought watch for Lake Georgetown.
In addition, Georgetown water utility customers should follow the two-day watering schedule and refrain from watering their lawns on Mondays. The year-round, two-day-per-week irrigation schedule is based on the last digit of the street address. The watering schedule is posted at https://gus.georgetown.org/water/whatsmyschedule.
“We are asking customers to take this additional step in conservation out of an abundance of caution, out of respect to the BRA’s warning, and so we can be good stewards of this shared, limited resource,” Water Utility Director Chelsea Solomon said in the release. “Meeting the community’s demand for water is going to be more challenging than ever this summer, when we use 75% of our treated water trying to keep our lawns green during the hottest months. We are working to bring additional treatment capacity online, but the first won’t be operational until next year at the earliest. We need everyone’s help this summer, so we can continue to provide treated water to all the homes and businesses in our more than 400-square-mile service area.”
The release stated irrigation is not permitted on Mondays because they are maintenance and recovery days for the water system. Furthermore, the two-day schedule spreads watering over six days each week to balance the demand on the water system. Watering with a hose or bucket can be done any day and at any time. Other outdoor water uses, including washing a vehicle or filling a swimming pool, can be done any day at any time, the release said.
Violations of the irrigation schedule and watering during the heat of the day may result in fines.
The city announced Lake Georgetown is in Stage 1 drought watch due to drier-than-normal conditions in portions of the Brazos River basin and drought trigger levels set by the BRA’s Drought Contingency Plan.
The city also has several ongoing water utility expansion projects to help meet the needs of the growing population. This includes the expansion of the North Lake Water Treatment Plant, which is expected to be completed in summer 2023, and the construction of a South Lake Water Treatment Plant, which should be operational in 2025. Georgetown City Council approved the expansions at its March 22 meeting.
