Georgetown announced a drought contingency plan Thursday that limits outdoor water use for irrigation systems and hose-end sprinklers to two days per week for about 40,000 people who receive water service through Georgetown Utility Systems, the city-owned utility provider. The limit is mandatory for all water utility customers, and violators may face fines. A city announcement said the contingency plan is necessary due to drought conditions, hot weather and excessive water consumption. The city also released a new two-day outdoor watering schedule based on street addresses:

  • Water users whose home addresses end in 1, 5 or 9 can use water for irrigation or sprinklers on Tuesdays and Fridays.
  • Users with addresses ending in 2, 4, 6 or 8 can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
  • Addresses ending in 0, 3 or 7 can water on Thursdays and Sundays.
Additionally, customers using water for irrigation systems or hose-end sprinklers should not do so between noon and 7 p.m., according to the city. Water use though hand-held hoses or buckets, as well as for other outdoor uses such as washing vehicles or filling swimming pools, is allowed on any day and time of the week, according to the city. Georgetown already restricts its water utility customers from using water for outdoor irrigation purposes on Mondays. That restriction remains in effect.