Either way, greener days are here again.

Hostility

It was March 4, and the Rio Grande was drier than a British humorist. Little water, but plenty of hostility. And Ed Archuleta, general manager of the El Paso Water Utilities, was neck deep in it.

The City Council, afraid of the political repercussions of going to once-a-week watering, asked Archuleta to water down his water restrictions. They gave him two weeks. He returned on March 18, presenting the council what was essentially the same proposal.

This time, the council approved the restrictions, despite the vehement opposition some representatives had expressed two weeks earlier. Only two members had the guts to maintain their stances -- Larry Medina, who had favored the limits, and Dan Power, who had opposed them. The other members, who had voted against the limits, switched their votes! to "yes."

Today, less than two months later, all the ! resentment is behind us. Or is it? Medina thanked Archuleta for his commitment and professionalism this week, but Power was more restrained.

"I guess I thank you," Power said. "In my mind, and in the minds of many of my constituents, the fact that we needed (Stage 2 restrictions) reflected an overdependence on river water ... ."

Self-imposed limits

Given the almost celebratory mood in the council chambers, Power might have been viewed as churlish. But he was right about one thing. The restrictions may have been lifted, but water will remain an issue for as long as El Paso remains a desert.

"We're still concerned about the future," Archuleta said. "If people can get by on watering once a week, fine. ... I think one thing we learned is that we don't need to water three days a week."

During April, the first month of the Stage 2 restrictions, water consumption dropped almost 23 percent, Archuleta said.

"Our customers did a good job," he said.

But they m! ust keep doing it -- Stage 2 restrictions or no Stage 2 restrictions.

"I'm afraid the pendulum will swing the other way," Northeast city Rep. John Cook said.

That, Archuleta said, could be disastrous.

"These have been difficult times, but they have been difficult times throughout the West, not just El Paso," Archuleta said.