On March 12, the Georgetown City Council approved on first reading three water-related ordinances that amend the drought contingency plan and the tiered water rate structure, and create a general water ordinance.
The new water ordinance will make the three-day irrigation schedule the standard watering schedule and remove the same schedule from the drought contingency plan. The three-day schedule has already been in place for two years, Georgetown Utility Director Glenn Dishong said.
With the removal of the three-day schedule from the contingency plan, the city's ordinance will now be similar to neighboring communities that have a two-day irrigation schedule during the first phase of their plan, Dishong said.
"This change syncs us up better with our neighboring municipalities and water purveyors," he said. "We've been in the drought contingency plan for two straight years. The phase we are currently in does not match up with our neighboring utilities. There is always a communications conflict when we are in Stage One and they aren't in any stage. To simplify things we should be in the same stage."
The changes also would put the current tiered rate structure in effect year round, Dishong said, adding that rates will remain the same for now, but proposed changes could be made during the City Council's budget process; those changes would take effect at the start the city's fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
"Later on this year, there will be proposed changes to the rate tiers, incentive plans [and] educational programs, and all that will be in concert with the budget," he said.
Dishong said other changes will not take effect until after the summer irrigation season so customers will have time to adjust their usage and potentially their landscapes. The city also will work with neighborhood associations and customers to understand requirements and how to meet them without overusing water.
"This is just the start," he said. "There are more things that we are going to propose as we get closer to the budget process."
