The City of Victoria is requiring residents to take steps to conserve water as the City initiated Stage II of its drought contingency plan this week.
The City’s drought contingency plan is a series of water conservation measures that the City is authorized to take during periods of decreased water availability. The plan is divided into stages of increasing restrictions based on specific triggering criteria.
The City entered Stage One of the plan in April. Stage One is triggered whenever the Guadalupe River falls below its normal level for a given time of year.
The City is now entering Stage II because a pattern of low rainfall to the north of Victoria has caused the Guadalupe River flow to drop below 200 cubic feet per second, which is the triggering threshold for Stage II for this month. When the Guadalupe River is below this level, the City is not permitted to pump water from the river, so reducing water usage is essential.
What should residents do to conserve water?
Under Stage II of the plan, residents are required to limit certain types of nonessential water usage to the hours of 6-10 a.m. and 8 p.m.-midnight to avoid water loss through evaporation. Activities that are limited to these times include using an automatic lawn sprinkler or hose-end sprinkler, filling pools and washing vehicles, although this restriction does not apply to commercial car washes and service stations.
Residents can water their lawns with hoses at any time of day, as long as the hose has a positive shut-off nozzle.
A full list of Stage II restrictions can be found at www.victoriatx.gov/droughtplan.
In addition, residents are asked to voluntarily reduce water use for nonessential purposes and to practice water conservation measures. Residents can sign up for the City’s free water monitoring service, WaterWise, to keep track of their water usage and catch hidden leaks. To learn more, visit www.victoriawaterwise.com.
When will the restrictions be lifted?
The City will terminate Stage II restrictions and re-enter Stage One of the drought contingency plan after the flow of the Guadalupe River rises above the Stage II threshold for a period of 14 consecutive days, and when Public Works determines that the City’s water intake can meet demand without the restrictions. Under Stage One, all mandatory restrictions will be lifted and residents will be asked to continue voluntary water conservation measures.
For more information about the drought contingency plan, visit www.victoriatx.gov/droughtplan or contact Public Works at 361-485-3381.