Photo by Cali BockWater restrictions still in effect for Georgetown
Despite pumping water in September from Lake Stillhouse Hollow to maintain water levels, Lake Georgetown remains in a Stage 1 Drought Watch.
The Brazos River Authority declared the watch Nov. 19 because of continued dry conditions in the upper portion of the Brazos basin, according to a BRA news release. A Stage 1 Drought Watch has also been declared for Possum Kingdom, Granbury, Whitney and Proctor lakes throughout the state.
With the watch, the BRA is aiming to decrease overall water consumption from each lake by at least 5 percent and increase awareness about drought conditions. It is also asking customers such as the cities of Georgetown and Round Rock to activate their drought contingency plans, raise public awareness on how to reduce water use and notify their customers about any contingency steps being taken, the release said.
The City of Georgetown has enforced mandatory outdoor water use restrictions for residents for the past two years because of continued drought conditions. The city restricts sprinklers and irrigation systems from being used more than three times per week. Residents whose addresses end in an odd number are allowed to use their systems on Tuesday and/or Thursday and/or Saturday, and addresses ending in an even number may water on Wednesday and/or Friday and/or Sunday. Watering is prohibited from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. No sprinkler or irrigation watering is allowed on Mondays, but hand-watering with a hose and washing of vehicles can be done at any time on any day. Increased water utilities fees can also be charged if a customer uses more than an allotted amount of water per month. Georgetown City Council discussed making the restrictions permanent at its Jan. 8 meeting and plans to have a first reading of the restrictions on Jan. 22.
