Breckenridge Texan

Stephens Regional Special Utility District has implemented Stage 1 – Mild Water Shortage Conditions following a similar declaration by its water supplier, the Brazos River Authority.

In a notice on Oct. 9, SRSUD requested that its rural water customers voluntarily reduce their daily water usage by 5%. Under the district’s Drought Contingency Plan, Stage 1 conditions are triggered when the Brazos River Authority implements Stage 1 – Drought Water Conditions because the SRSUD purchases its water from the BRA.

As part of the drought measures, SRSUD is taking direct action to reduce its own water use by flushing water mains less frequently and cutting back on irrigation for public landscaped areas.

The district has established voluntary guidelines for outdoor watering, vehicle washing, and other non-essential water uses:

• Landscape Irrigation: Customers with even-numbered street or route addresses (ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) are asked to water lawns and landscapes only on Sundays and Thursdays. Customers with odd-numbered addresses (ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) are asked to water on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Locations without a numerical address should water on Sundays and Thursdays.
• Watering Methods and Hours: Hand-held hoses, faucet-filled buckets or watering cans of five gallons or less, and drip irrigation systems may be used at any time. However, all outdoor watering should be avoided between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. due to high evaporation rates.
• Vehicle Washing: Washing motor vehicles, motorbikes, boats, trailers, or airplanes should be limited to designated watering days between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. or between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Vehicles must be washed using a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Commercial car washes and service stations are exempt, as are vehicles required to be cleaned frequently for public health and safety, such as garbage trucks and food transport vehicles.
• Pools and Fountains: Filling, refilling or adding water to indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools or jacuzzi-type pools should only occur on designated watering days between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., or between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Aesthetic ornamental fountains and ponds should not be operated unless equipped with a recirculation system and necessary to support aquatic life.
• Restaurants and Fire Hydrants: Restaurants are requested to serve drinking water only when requested by customers. Fire hydrant use is limited to firefighting, health and safety activities or construction purposes authorized under a special SRSUD permit.
• Livestock and Non-Essential Uses: Livestock tanks with automatic or float valves should be closely monitored and filled by hand when possible. Customers are asked to refrain from washing down sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, buildings, or structures (except for fire protection). Water should not be used for dust control or allowed to run into gutters and streets, and controllable leaks must be repaired promptly after notice.

SRSUD General Manager Leshia Brewster expressed appreciation for customer cooperation during the drought conditions.

“We appreciate your cooperation and support. We hope conditions improve soon and, as they do, the District will lift these restrictions as soon as conditions allow,” she said in the notice to customers. “Thank you for doing your part to conserve water.”

Customers with questions regarding the water guidelines or Drought Contingency Plan can contact the SRSUD office at (254) 559-6180. Additional information and updates will be made available on the district’s website at stephensregionalsud.com or through news media reports.