Once a week watering schedule not sitting well with Austin residents
Austin residents are not happy with their once-a-week watering schedule -- especially, now that we're out of a drought. That's according to a new survey by the city.
Despite this it doesn't look like: the current stage two water restrictions will change anytime soon.
Mother Nature can be an unpredictable force to be reckoned with. Mayor Steve Adler realizes that.
“I remember well when our lake levels were down. People were coming to me and suggesting that we needed to spend billions to develop a water conveyor system,” Adler said.
Now that lake levels are back up, many Austinites feel the stage two water restrictions should be lifted.
“I recognize that there are some people who would like to have more water to water their lawns more often,” Adler said.
The mayor says that won't be happening anytime soon.The city survey shows, forty-one percent say they agree with the stage two restrictions. An overwhelming fifty-five percent want the restrictions lifted.
“I think our community is divided on this issue,” Adler said.
Adler says what he doesn't want is to lift restrictions and get into another drought. He says he doesn't want the city to have to spend billions to build infrastructure to get water elsewhere.
“I want to do everything we can to preserve our ability to protect the water we have,” he said.
Adler says Austin has been in this position before, so he expects the community to abide by the rules.
“I think this community has proven that we could do well with stage 2 restrictions,” he said.
You can find out the watering schedule here.