Outside Watering Restricted to Once Every 14 Days

The City Council approved a resolution that limits outside watering to once every 14 days, reverting to the restrictions in place during the fall and winter months. The tighter restrictions take effect immediately.
San Angelo is currently in Drought Level 2, the second-most restrictive of the three levels of the City’s drought contingency plan. Under Drought Level 2, which is triggered when the City has less than 18 months of available water supply, outside watering is allowed once every seven days from April 1 through Oct. 31. From Nov. 1 through March 31, watering is allowed once every 14 days. No more than 1 inch is allowed per application.

Watering is prohibited from noon-6 p.m., when evaporation rates are highest.

City Councilman Rodney Fleming proposed tightening the restrictions during a wide-ranging discussion of water issues that include cloud-seeding, an update of the Hickory Aquifer project, water conservation enforcement and San Angelo’s surface water supply.

Water Utilities Director Ricky Dickson said San Angelo has about 13.5 months of available surface water supply in O.H. Ivie and Twin Buttes reservoirs and Lake Nasworthy, assuming no rainfall or runoff during that span. If the supply dips below 12 months, all outside watering would be prohibited.