Waco’s three-day watering limits to take effect in July

Along with the updated drought emergency plan, the council approved a new long-term water conservation plan, nearly two months after the plans were presented to the council.

When the measures were first introduced, city staff said lessons from a drought that spanned 2022 and 2023 showed the need to look deeper into water sources and the use of the waco water. Cities must update their drought contingency plan every five years. In addition to the new drought plan, city staff also displayed a water conservation plan prepared by engineering consulting firm CDM Smith designed to preserve Waco's water resources for the next century.

The plan had been on the council's agenda since it was first introduced, but had been brought up repeatedly by the council, which asked for more time to consider the plan. It was finally approved at Tuesday's council meeting unanimously after several amendments requested by councilor and mayor-elect Jim Holmes.

The biggest change to Waco's drought plan is a three-day-a-week permanent watering schedule. Odd addresses will be able to water on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, while even addresses will be able to water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Watering will not be allowed on Fridays, and outside watering will not be allowed between 10am and 7pm.

The plan originally proposed a two-day-a-week schedule, which city staff later changed to three after reviews of other cities' experience with similar restrictions and feedback from Waco residents.

The restriction only applies to landscape irrigation with sprinklers. The restriction does not apply to drip irrigation or watering with a hand-held hose with an automatic shut-off switch, such as a nozzle that does not spray water unless a lever is pressed. Restrictions would only apply to hand watering if the city reaches drought stage 3 or 4.

Variations can be purchased for new plant landscaping that requires more frequent watering.

City staff have said the new restrictions are intended to conserve water and play into the city's long-term water conservation plan. The restrictions are similar to those seen in other cities. Big cities like Dallas and Houston and mid-sized cities like Lubbock, Round Rock and Wichita Falls have had year-round restrictions with limits on weekly water use, prompting Waco officials to consider a similar plan .

Athletic fields and golf courses must submit a water use plan to municipal staff. One of the plan amendments introduced by Holmes pushed back the deadline for submitting a water plan by 90 days and included a provision for city staff to demonstrate to field operators how to prepare a water plan.

Athletic and golf course operators will have until July 1 to submit a water use plan, and must submit a plan each year. Subsequent annual plans will go on sale on March 1st.

Under the new plan, the triggers for drought stage levels have been altered and will start earlier compared to the old plan. Stage 1 restrictions will begin when Waco Lake reaches the 80 percent mark, or 457 feet above sea level, two feet earlier than the current level.

Upon reaching Stage 1 restrictions, the weekly watering schedule would be reduced from three days to two. Odd numbers addressed could draw on Sunday and Thursday, while even addresses could draw on Wednesday and Saturday. Watering will not be allowed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, washing surfaces such as driveways and sidewalks would not be permitted. Variances for new landscape planting would be limited to only 45 days from the date of planting.

Stage 2 restrictions would begin once Lake Waco reaches 60 percent capacity, or 452 feet above sea level. Stage 1 restrictions would remain, but variances for new landscapes would be restricted to 30 days from first planting.

Stage 3 would begin when Waco Lake reaches 50 percent capacity, or 449 feet above sea level. Under Stage 3 restrictions, outdoor watering would be limited to one day per week, which would include drip irrigation and hand watering.

At stage 3, variations for new plantings would no longer be allowed. Commercial car washes would not be able to operate under Stage 3 restrictions, and permits for new pools, hot tubs, spas, ponds or the construction of fountains would no longer be issued.

Stage 4 would begin when Waco Lake reaches 40 percent capacity, or 445 feet above sea level. Under the Stage 4 restrictions, all outdoor watering would be prohibited and water use would only be allowed for activities the city deems “necessary for the public health, safety and welfare “.

Since Lake Waco's level was raised in 2003, the lowest the lake has been was 450 feet above sea level, recorded in October of last year during the 2022-23 drought. The lowest the lake has ever been is 445.1 feet above sea level, recorded in October 1984. At that time, the lake's 100% mark was 455 feet above sea level. In 2003, it was raised seven feet to its current level of 462 feet above sea level.

During the 2022-23 drought, the lake reached its record low just days before heavy rains and flooding in the Bosque River watershed raised the lake level 15 feet in four days. Waco was under Stage 2 drought restrictions from July 2022 to October 2023 and was within inches of Stage 3 when the flooding occurred.

During all drought stages, criminal penalties would apply for violating the restrictions. Violators would be charged with a Class C misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $2,000, although city staff said fine amounts would be up to a judge and fines imposed during the last year's drought rarely exceeded $250.

During non-drought periods, offenders found to be watering on the wrong days or during the restricted time of day would be subject to warnings before being fined. Violators who commit three or more different violations within a 30-day period will be subject to water shut off. Two or more violations during Stage 2 through Stage 4 may also result in a customer having their water shut off.

The city is also increasing surcharge rates for water use during periods of drought. There is no change for usage up to 8,000 gallons per month, while usage between 8,000 and 15,000 gallons per month would see a 10% increase from the normal rate during Stage 3 and an increase of 20% during stage 4.

Use between 15,000 and 25,000 gallons would result in a rate increase of 10% during Stage 2, 20% during Stage 3 and 25% during Stage 4. Usage rates beyond of 25,000 gallons in a month would result in an increase of 20% during Stage 2 restrictions, 40.% during Stage 3 and 50% during Stage 4.

Irrigation use of up to 25,000 gallons would result in a rate increase of 10% during Stage 2 restrictions, 20% during Stage 3 and 25% during Stage 4. The use of more than 25,000 gallons would result in a rate increase of 20% in stage 2, 40% in stage 3 and 50% in stage 4.

The irrigation restrictions are meant to play into the city's 100-year water resources plan, of which increasing water conservation is a major component. The plan, drawn up by engineering consulting firm CDM Smith, identifies several ways Waco can diversify its water supply to avoid over-reliance on Lake Waco for water.

Holmes said earlier this week that the city wants to be proactive about water supply rather than reactive. City staff said during previous resource plan presentations that the recent drought showed Waco needs more water sources than just Waco Lake and must prepare for any possible future drought that lowers the lake level

In addition to conservation, CDM recommended Waco look to the Brazos River for water, as well as find more uses for reclaimed wastewater to reduce the amount of drinking water used. According to CDM's filing, using the Brazos for drinking water would require the purchase of additional water rights from the Brazos River Authority and would require the construction of additional treatment plants to remove salt and polyfluoroalkyl pollutants from the water

Waco has water rights to 5,600 acre-feet per year in Brazos Lake and 2,150 acre-feet at a point upstream in the Brazos River, but does not currently tap these sources for drinking water. The process of acquiring additional water rights would take several years.

The city also decided against other measures such as using water from the Trinity Aquifer or raising the lake level again. According to CDM's filing, raising the lake level would cost nearly half a million dollars, and the Trinity Aquifer already has too many other users for Waco to draw more water from.