Restrictions on outdoor watering in effect for North Texas Municipal Water District customers

Stage 3 drought plan limits landscape watering to once per week, if necessary

Other restrictions apply.

June 1, 2013 – The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) begins Stage 3 on June 1, 2013. Under Stage 3 of the NTMWD Water Conservation and Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan, residential and business customers will be limited to landscape watering with sprinkler or irrigation systems once every seven days, if necessary. Other restrictions apply. Check with your city for specific details.

A drier than normal winter and spring resulted in below normal reservoir levels for two key NTMWD water supplies. Despite recent rains, Lavon Lake is still over 7 feet below the normal conservation level and Lake Jim Chapman is over 8 feet low normal elevation.

“We’ve been fortunate to receive several inches of rain over the past few weeks but that was not enough to reverse the declining reservoir levels we are facing in North Texas,” said Jim Parks, executive director of the North Texas Municipal Water District. “The experts predict another dry summer, so every gallon we save now will help extend our water supplies. The ongoing drought and the loss of the Lake Texoma supply is why we need to implement Stage 3 of the Plan,” Parks added.

The goal of Stage 3 is a 10% reduction in water use and increased awareness in ongoing water conservation efforts.
In addition to complying with restrictions on outdoor watering, residential and business property owners can help save thousands of gallons of water by repairing and properly maintaining outdoor sprinkler and irrigation systems and repairing leaking fixtures such as toilet and faucets.

Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program report that almost 50% of all water used for outdoor watering is lost due to evaporation, wind, runoff and ineffective irrigation methods and systems. Licensed irrigation specialists can check your systems and repair broken or leaking pipes, misaligned sprinkler heads and make sure sprinkler control units are properly set.

For more information on efficient use of irrigation systems visit northtexaswateriq.org/ or the EPA’s WaterSense site at www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/index.html.

Submitted by Judy Evans.

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