The City of Victoria is asking residents to conserve water as the Guadalupe River falls below its normal level for this time of year due to low rainfall upstream.
Residents can help the City conserve water by following these tips:
- Do not over-water your lawn. An inch of water, applied once a week, will keep most Texas grasses healthy.
- To avoid evaporation, water your lawn early in the morning or late in the evening. Turn soaker holes so the holes are on the bottom. Use a sprinkler that produces large drops rather than a fine mist.
- Water slowly for better absorption.
- Never water on windy days.
- Raise the cutting height on your lawnmower to make your lawn more drought-resistant.
Under its 1998 surface water permit, the City must limit its pumping to no more than 10% of the river flow when the river level is below normal. The City’s water system includes multiple backup reservoirs the City can draw from if the demand for water exceeds the pumping limit.
To help reduce the need for pumping and avoid overuse of the backup reservoirs, the City enacted Stage One of its drought contingency plan on April 3. Under Stage One, residents are asked to practice voluntary water conservation measures.
The plan helps the City to ensure a consistent water supply by indicating when the City must take steps to conserve water.
To learn more, visit www.victoriatx.gov/droughtplan or contact Public Works at 361-485-3380.