Staff presented an updated five-year plan to Richardson City Council during its April 1 meeting. The city’s water conservation plans—which include the Water Conservation Plan, and Water Resource and Emergency Management Plan—are required to be updated every five years by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The overview
No new requirements are expected to be added to the Water Conservation Plan, although four additional recommendations could be added. The plan also includes goals to reduce the city’s water loss percentage from 18% to 12% by 2029 and an additional 10% by 2034, Director of Public Services Eric Robison said.
The second plan, the Water Resource and Energy Management Plan, is designed for droughts, water shortages or other emergency situations, Robison said. There are three stages of implementation that begin when drought condition triggers are met, according to a staff presentation, with more restrictive watering allowances and progressively higher reduction goals.
- 70% of supply between April and October or 60% between November and March for Stage One
- 55% of supply between April and October or 45% between November and March for Stage Two
- 30% of supply between April and October or 20% between November and March for Stage Three
Digging deeper
Three additional requirements included in the staff presentation also received favorable feedback from council members.
- During Stage Two drought measures, no overseeding, sodding, sprigging, broadcasting or plugging, except for golf courses and athletic fields, would be allowed.
- During Stage Three measures, no hosing or washing of paved areas, buildings, structures, windows or other surfaces would be permitted except by variance and performance by a professional service that uses high-efficiency equipment.
- During Stage Three measures, the operation of interactive water features maintained for recreation would be prohibited.
Summer watering restrictions limit outdoor watering with sprinklers or outdoor irrigations for addresses ending in an odd number Wednesday and Sunday, and even-numbered addresses may water Tuesday and Saturday. Outdoor watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to the city’s water conservation webpage.
“It’s really important from a regional standpoint that everybody knows twice-a-week watering is the standard [in] nondrought times, and everybody follows the same hours,” Magner said.
What’s next?
Council is expected to have an agenda item allowing for public comment on the draft water conservation plans during the April 8 meeting, according to city documents. Adoption of the plans into ordinances will likely be considered by council during the April 22 meeting, Robison said.
