voluntary and mandatory water restrictions go into e ect. In case of emergency
During drought situations, plans are put in place to better conserve water. A drought contingency plan used by the city of Houston determines when
of paved areas, buildings, windows and any hard-sur- faced areas; the operation of ornamental fountains; and the washing or rinsing of vehicles by hose. In an Aug. 22 announcement, o cials said they were still in Stage 3 and were monitoring wells and water systems as they recovered. Historically, cities like West University Place have fol- lowed the city of Houston, updating their drought con- tingency plans as Houston does. As of late August, West University Place was at Stage 2 of its own contingency plan, which is similar to Stage 1 in Houston and calls for volun- tary limitations. To get to Stage 2, the Hous- ton’s combined total storage of surface water would have to fall lower than a 24-month supply. At that point, manda- tory restrictions would take e ect.
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
Water use reduction goal: 5%
Water use reduction goal: 10%
Water use reduction goal: 20%
Water use reduction goal: 35%
Triggered when:
Triggered when:
Triggered when:
Triggered when:
What it means: • Water restrictions are voluntary. • Residents are asked to limit outdoor watering to twice a week between 7 p.m.-5 a.m. • The water supply system is under stress.
What it means: • Water restrictions under Stage 1 are now mandatory. • Outdoor water use that results in water leaving a customer’s property is illegal. • The combined total storage of surface water supply is less than 24 months.
the lack of rain mean higher water bills, he said. “Because it is so hot, the crops are susceptible to evap- oration,” he said. “It’s tougher to get a deeper watering.” The city of Houston and smaller cities such as Bellaire and West University Place follow protocols intended to help preserve water during droughts. Drought contingency plans adopted in each city serve as road maps for how to implement What it means: • All outdoor water use is illegal. • Customers using water for production and protection of primary business products are excluded. • The combined total storage of surface water supply is less than 18 months.
What it means: • All outdoor water use is illegal. • The use of more than 4,000 gallons per month by a single-family customer is illegal. • The combined total storage of surface water supply is less than 12 months.
SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
increase the risk of wild res, Nielsen-Gammon said. The NOAA gauges how severe a drought is accord- ing to a system that ranks droughts along ve di erent levels. As of press time Aug. 26, parts of western Harris County were ranked D3, or “extreme,” alongside 35.4% of the state. The eastern part of the country was ranked D2, or “severe,” with 23.2% of the state. Under D3, soil has large
cracks, and moisture is very low, resulting in decreased crop yield for crops that need irrigation, such as leafy vege- tables, bulb vegetables, roots and tubers. Water resources The drought and heat take another nancial toll when it comes to the price of water, Shinneman said. The farms are all connected to city of Houston water, and hotter temperatures combined with
conservation measures based on how severe the drought is. As of Aug. 26, Houston remained in the rst stage of its plan, which calls for volun- tary restrictions in water use on behalf of citizens. The city is encouraging people to limit outdoor watering to twice a week between 7 p.m.-5 a.m. Other Houston-area cities have made their restrictions mandatory. The city of Katy entered Stage 3 of its plan Aug. 8, prohibiting the hosing
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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