Rising temperatures, lack of significant rainfall and increased demand for water have caused the Edwards Aquifer to drop nearly a foot per day over the past 10 days.

As of May 7, the 10-day average of the J-17 well was 665 feet, which is five feet above the trigger for stage one watering restrictions.

The areas serviced by the aquifer have not been in a drought stage since October 2018 and the aquifer previously maintained an average water level of 671 feet.

According to a press release from New Braunfels Utilities, stage one watering restrictions could go into effect as early as next week.

“New Braunfels Utilities encourages customers to conserve water year-round, especially lawn irrigation,” said Chief Communications and Strategy Officer Melissa Krause in a press release.

During a stage one water restriction, sprinkler or irrigation system schedules are organized by address as follows:

• Addresses ending in 0 and 1: Monday
• Addresses ending in 2 and 3: Tuesday
• Addresses ending in 4 and 5: Wednesday
• Addresses ending in 6 and 7: Thursday
• Addresses ending 8 and 9: Friday

While the use of hand-held hoses, buckets and drip irrigation systems are not restricted during stage one, sprinkler and irrigation systems are not allowed to be used on weekends.

For more information regarding watering requirements or on-peak tiered water rate increases, visit the New Braunfels Utilities website.