San Antonians will be under Stage 2 watering rules, effective Wednesday, after the water level in the Edwards Aquifer sank to 650 feet this week, according to the San Antonio Water System.
Residents have been under Stage 1 water restrictions for about a month as hot and dry weather conditions caused by La Nina continue to take a toll on water supplies.
Stage 2 is much like Stage 1, where residents can only use automated sprinklers or soaker hoses to water landscaping once a week based on their street address, but the hours on those days when watering is allowed are greatly reduced.
SAWS reports residents can water on their day only from 7 to 11 a.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. Hand watering is allowed at any time.
City Manager Erik Walsh in consultation with Robert R. Puente, the President and CEO of San Antonio Water System, declared Stage 2 rules would
go into effect.
SAWS has significantly diversified San Antonio’s water supplies and now the Edwards Aquifer represents only about half of our available drinking water because it is just one of the utilities’ 10 water sources, according to a SAWS news release.
Residents living at street addresses ending with the following numbers can water on the corresponding days:
- 0 or 1 Monday
- 2 or 3 Tuesday
- 4 or 5 Wednesday
- 6 or 7 Thursday
- 8 or 9 Friday
Residents can be fined if they are found to be in violation of Stage 2 water restrictions after warnings are issued.
National Weather Service statistics at the end of March showed the city was nearly 4 inches below normal rainfall amounts, year to date.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports drought conditions cover the entire county, with the worst conditions in far west and northwest Bexar County.
