Extreme drought conditions and continued high water usage have prompted the City of Fredericksburg to implement Stage Four water restrictions. They take effect tomorrow.
If you were wondering what that means, here are the details:
- Hose-end sprinklers, automatic sprinklers, soaker hoses, or drip irrigation are allowed between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 10:00 am, and 6:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. Same goes for handheld hoses.
- Saturday and Sunday become designated watering days. On Saturdays people and businesses with odd numbered addresses may water. On Sundays those with even numbered addresses are allowed to water. Watering isn't permitted anytime on a weekday.
- Washing cars, trucks, trailers, boats, airplanes and mobile equipment is only allowed from noon to 8 pm. at a commercial car wash or commercial service station, unless it's in the interest of public health, safety and/or welfare.
- Vegetable and herb gardens, personal or commercial, can only be watered by drip irrigation or a soaker hose between 6 pm-10 am on days when other watering isn't allowed. On designated watering days any type of watering can be done.
- Privately-owned swimming pools, wading pools or hot tubs can be filled or refilled, only if water has been evaporated or lost.
- Watering isn't allowed on golf courses or fairways, unless the golf course uses treated wastewater or other water sources besides the Fredericksburg potable water system.
- Other than potable consumption and sanitation, the bulk sale of water is not allowed.
Austin is currently at a Stage One. If water usage and conservation in Fredericksburg doesn't improve, there is a chance the city could move to a Stage Five, which would prohibit landscape irrigation all together.
