Spring has sprung, though it’s a little hard to believe — partly because our plants look just OK, not great. But mostly because we haven’t had any meaningful rain in quite some time.
The sad truth is we are still in drought. In fact, this is our sixth dry spring in a row — and Stage 3 watering rules are still in effect.
As a reminder, Stage 3 watering hours for sprinklers — in-ground and hose-end — are 5-10 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight, one day a week on your day. You can still water with a hand-held hose any time, any day.
The good news is SAWS plans for extreme droughts just like this one. Thirty years ago, 100 percent of our water came from the Edwards Aquifer. Today, SAWS manages 13 supply projects from seven different water sources.
We’ve been able to avoid stricter watering restrictions because of our investment in diverse supplies — and because most SAWS customers follow the rules.
“This year will be challenging with less Edwards Aquifer water available,” said Karen Guz, SAWS vice president of conservation. “SAWS will be working hard to manage our supplies and we need everyone to be vigilant about their water use.”
That includes watering only on your day and time and being mindful of any water problems at your home or business, and around your neighborhood. If you spot a possible watering rules violation or a leak, report it at saws.org/waterwaste.
Violations are never issued based on citizen reports, but we will follow up with a warning to let the owner know there’s a problem that needs to be attended to.
Thinking about putting in new grass or lots of landscaping? Please hit pause. Heavy landscape watering can get very expensive in Stage 3. If your residential water use goes above 20,000 gallons per month, a drought surcharge will appear on your next bill. It’s probably not a good investment anyway, since your new lawn still may not survive the hot, dry summer.
What you can do this season is plan your landscape makeover for the fall. Prep now by getting rid of grass so you can use SAWS WaterSaver Coupons for new planting beds later!
Last year water use dropped a great deal across our city because of the updated watering rules. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
Let’s continue that momentum and do even better in 2025. To check the current drought stage and rules, visit saws.org/drought.
