NEWBRAUNFELS, Texas-- After weeks of watching the Edwards Aquifer slowly dip down below the 640-foot mark, New Braunfels Mayor Gale Pospisil announced on Friday that the city will be moving to Stage 3 water restrictions as of Monday, July 29.
San Antonio, however, remains in Stage 2 restrictions.
The aquifer was at 639.1 feet when New Braunfels announced it would be moving to Stage 3. The city uses the 640-foot mark as a trigger to move to Stage 3, although the switch must be approved.
Under Stage 3 restrictions, sprinkler or irrigation system watering will only be permitted one day per week every other week.
The first week of no watering will be the week of August 19-23. NBU customers can continue watering one day a week until the week of August 19.
During the week of August 19, there will be no watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system. The week of August 26, customers will be allowed to use a sprinkler or irrigation system on their designated day.
Designated days are determined by the last digit of the street address.
- 0 or 1: Monday
- 2 or 3: Tuesday
- 4 or 5: Wednesday
- 6 or 7: Thursday
- 8 or 9: Friday
All watering must be done before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Use of a hand held hose, bucket, drip irrigation system or soaker hose will be permitted any day of the week before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
Unlike New Braunfels, San Antonio operates on a 10-day rolling average. And even if the 10-day average drops below 640 feet, San Antonio Water Systems must OKStage 3 restrictions.
The 10-day average was 641.5 as of Friday, July 26.
