City of San Marcos enters Stage 2 drought restrictions
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The City of San Marcos will enter stage 2 drought restrictions effective Sunday, April 25 at 12 p.m.
The city says the Edwards Aquifer Authority implemented Stage 2 on April 20.
Stage 2 drought restrictions are implemented when the 10-day average Edwards Aquifer index well level falls below 650 feet above mean sea level (msl). On Wednesday, April 21 the 10-day average aquifer level was at 649.3 feet and the daily reading was 647.8 feet.
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"Aquifer levels are dropping very rapidly at a rate of about one-half to one foot per day," said Director of Public Services, Tom Taggart. "We just entered Stage 1 three weeks ago. At this rate, we could easily reach Stage 3 restrictions in just a few weeks, so it’s imperative that we do all we can to conserve our water resources."
Stage 2 drought rules are similar to Stage 1 rules, with additional restrictions on the use of soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and decorative water features.
- Sprinkler use is limited to one day per week on the designated weekday determined by address.
- Irrigation using hose-end sprinklers is allowed on the designated weekday before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
- Irrigation with automatic irrigation systems is allowed on the designated weekday beginning at 8 p.m. and ending the following morning at 8 a.m.
- Using soaker hoses or drip irrigation is allowed any day, but must be done before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
- Hand watering is still allowed on any day and at any time.
- Filling new decorative water features such as fountains is prohibited during Stage 2.
- At-home car washing, washing of impervious surfaces, and foundation watering is limited to one day per week.
The full rules may be found on the City of San Marcos website.