The dramatic rise in water levels in the reservoirs that supply Austin is allowing the city to loosen drought-related watering restrictions that have been in effect for about two years.
Under the new system, which kicks in Tuesday, Austin will go from Stage 2 drought restrictions to the baseline rules the city calls “conservation stage.” Despite the change, limits will remain on when and for how long people are allowed to water their lawns.
Those rules still restrict lawn watering with an automatic irrigation system to once a week on designated days. But under the new rules the window of time watering is allowed has been extended to 15 hours, between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Hose-end sprinklers, which were allowed only once a week under Stage 2 restrictions, can now be used twice a week during designated days and times.
Drip irrigation is still allowed twice a week on assigned days.
Find out what the designated watering days are for local homes and businesses here.
To learn more about how the change of rules could impact other things from charity car washes to decorative fountains and water features, check out the city’s drought contingency plan.
In announcing the change, Austin Water officials said restrictions on some water use continue because conservation remains a priority.
“Austin's water supply is a shared resource, and the responsibility to preserve it extends to every member of our community," Austin Water’s director, Shay Ralls Roalson, said in an email announcing the change. “The community’s efforts to conserve water are key to maintaining the health of our water supply and meeting the needs of our growing city.”
The shift from drought restrictions to conservation stage came after the Lower Colorado River Authority released a forecast showing lake levels should remain healthy through the end of the year.
Tougher drought restrictions are triggered when reservoir storage drops below 1.1 million acre feet.
One acre foot equals the amount of water it takes to cover one acre of land with one foot of water, about 326,000 gallons.
