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Watering may be held to once a week by April
Charles K. Wilson
El Paso Times
February 11, 2003
Ongoing drought conditions may limit El Paso residents to
once-a-week watering and force businesses to make do with less water
by spring.
The El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board, or PSB, on
Wednesday will present a revised, three-stage drought-readiness plan
to the City Council that would limit residential lawn watering to two
hours a day, once a week under stage 2 restrictions.
Stage 1 of the plan, already in effect, asks residents to
voluntarily cut water use by 25 percent. By ordinance, residents are
allowed to water only three days a week. The PSB may recommend that
the council implement mandatory stage 2 restrictions by April.
"I don't like it," said Lower Valley resident Frank Silva of the
new proposal and likelihood of mandatory rationing. "I have a garden
in the back. I guess I'll have to get rid of that, too."
Silva's garden has peppers, vegetables and watermelons. It once had
grapes, but they required too much water, he said.
"(The new ordinance) will hurt El Paso residents," said Silva, who
wondered if it wouldn't be better for companies to cut back on water
use to make their businesses "presentable."
Nonetheless, as an excessively warm and dry January gives way to
spring and higher water usage, there won't be enough water to go
around, PSB Public Affairs Manager Karol Parker said.
"At that point, we have to do something," Parker said. "We can't
have the Fire Department pulling up to a hydrant and not have water."
The city can deliver 135 million gallons a day from its wells,
aquifers and plants, Parker said. Usage climbs to as high as 185
million gallons a day as the temperature climbs, peaking in late July.
A parched Rio Grande is the reason the city must consider stage 2
restrictions, Parker said.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to halt downstream flows from
Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs in south-central New Mexico from
mid-April until June, hydraulic engineer Wayne Treers said. Downstream
flows, which normally begin in February, have been delayed until
March.
During that time, El Paso will not be able to draw water from the
river. That means that if water usage climbs at its normal rate, the
city will not have enough water to meet demand, Parker said.
Treers said light snowfall and rain in the mountains of southern
Colorado have left Elephant Butte at its eighth lowest level in
history, nearing the lows recorded during El Paso's eight-year drought
in the 1950s.
Stage 2 water restrictions will hit businesses as well as
residents. Golf courses, nurseries, swimming pool builders and
suppliers, restaurants and hotels would face limitations on potable
water use.
"We'll be OK," said Phelps Davee, El Paso Country Club's
superintendent of grounds. He expects to get enough water -- the
course has rights to Rio Grande water -- to keep his Bermuda grass
alive and the course open. Courses using reclaimed, or recycled, water
or wells won't face restrictions. Reclaimed water is used by Coronado
Country Club, Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course and the Ascarate
municipal course. Wells supply Vista Hills Country Club and the Cielo
Vista municipal course.
Residential pool owners must fill their pools by April 1 under
stage 2 restrictions. Pools will also have to be covered after that
date to prevent evaporation.
"We get a bad rap because we're a high-profile industry," said
Larry Davidian, owner of Desert Sun Pools and a member of the group
that helped write the drought plan.
He said El Paso adds 300 to 400 pools a year. Even if all were
built and filled on the same day, he estimated, that would use only 8
million gallons of water. Originally, stage 2 would have stopped
construction and filling of pools. That would be "killing businesses,"
Davidian said.
Violating stage 2 restrictions can result in citations and fines,
Parker said. The PSB's 12 "water cops" can issue Class C (misdemeanor)
tickets that carry up to a $500 fine. But educating residents about
the reasons for the restrictions and encouraging them to comply will
be the officers' primary goal, Parker said.
Parker said stage 2 restrictions, if approved by the City Council,
would be in effect during the four to five weeks that Rio Grande flows
are halted. Community support will keep the water crisis from getting
worse, she said.
"I don't think we'll go to stage 3 if people cooperate," Parker
said.
Charles K. Wilson may be reached at
cwilson@elpasotimes.com |
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The restrictions
Highlights of proposed stage 2 restrictions:
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Outdoor watering limited to one day and two hours a week by last
number of address (Monday, none; Tuesday, 0; Wednesday, 1 and 3;
Thursday, 2 and 4; Friday, 5; Saturday, 6 and 8; Sunday, 7 and 9).
·
Parks and schools will cut water usage to that's needed to meet
basic demands.
·
Golf courses using potable water may water once a week by special
permit.
·
Nurseries will water by special permit.
· No
new landscaping can be installed, and no new landscape watering
permits will be issued.
·
Evaporative cooler continuous bleed-off lines shall be
disconnected.
·
Water conservation ordinance variances will be suspended.
·
Routine fire hydrant flushing and testing shall be curtailed.
·
Existing swimming pools cannot be filled with potable water after
April 1. Residential pools must be covered when not in use.
·
Second violation of drought plan could result in placement of
restrictive device at customer's cost.
·
Restaurants shall serve water only on request.
·
Water misters cannot be used, except by permit for health and
safety.
·
Impervious surface cleaning with potable water shall be
prohibited, except by order of local officials.
·
Hotels and motels must implement water conservation, including
reduction of laundry water usage.
·
Drought surcharge may be added to water rates.
The stages
·
Stage 1: A voluntary reduction of water use is currently in effect
·
Stage 2: Calls for one-day-per-week watering and other reductions
·
Stage 3: Includes no outdoor watering and other reductions
·
More information:
www.epwu.org
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