El Pasoans soon will be able to turn on their sprinklers, fill their
pools and wash their cars without the penalties of Stage 2 water
restrictions looming over them.
The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to lift Stage 2 watering
restrictions effective Saturday.
El Paso Water Utilities General Manager Ed Archuleta told the council
that compliance with Stage 2 restrictions -- which limited outdoor watering
to one day a week -- and the arrival of Rio Grande water to open the city's
two water treatment plants gives the city enough water to go back to Stage 1
restrictions Saturday. Stage 2 was to end June 17.
"I guess I owe you a thank-you," said East Side Rep. Dan Power, who had
been among Archuleta's most vocal critics when the council debated and
approved St! age 2 restrictions, which began April 1. Nonetheless, Pow! er
said, Stage 2 "represents a reliance on river water" that needs to be
reassessed.
Power's thank-you came after most council members had tossed around
praise as easily as they had challenged the call for Stage 2 restrictions in
March. Still, East-Central Rep. Larry Medina and South-West Rep. Anthony
Cobos told Archuleta to continue to push for conservation.
But not everyone was satisfied.
"What's the plan for next year?" asked Lisa Turner, a former council
candidate. "You need to start right now. We're in a drought."
Archuleta told the council he was "cautiously optimistic" that the city
could remain under Stage 1 rules, which call for voluntarily limiting
watering to three days a week based on the last number of one's address.
Archuleta said the city may need to use Stage 2 restrictions again next
spring because of the low levels of the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
