Don't waste that water:
Technically, city still faces 'river drought'

Don't mistake the lifting of Stage 2 water restrictions as a signal that the drought's over and El Paso is neck-deep in water.

El Pasoans can relax back to Stage 1 restrictions Saturday, but by no means should that be interpreted as a declaration that El Paso is out of danger when it comes to the water supply.

Regression to Stage 1 indicates two things. First, El Paso is now getting its summer allotment of river water to open two water-treatment plants. Also, El Pasoans did remarkably well in complying with Stage 2 restrictions, which included watering only one day a week for a total of two hours.

Despite griping and complaining, El Pasoans ! largely complied with the stiff restrictions and by doing so may have headed off more-draconian strictures. This community cooperation also helped in the early termination of Stage 2 restrictions.

Some things didn't change. There is still a river drought, and the fact that water was released from Elephant Butte doesn't change that. We're still living in the middle of a desert, which by definition is arid. Even in the best of times, desert dwellers shouldn't expect a plethora of water. And water consumers shouldn't be surprised if Stage 2 makes a return visit next spring. At this moment, there's no reason to believe that between then and now, Elephant Butte will be replenished to anything near normal levels.

So El Pasoans must remain committed to conservation, and at the same time the Public Service Board must pursue all practical means of ensuring El Paso's water supply well into the future.