conserve water!

It has been dry, dry, dry here on South Padre Island this summer. One short burst of rain, and then nothing for weeks and weeks. So the Laguna Madre Water District is implementing Stage II (voluntary) water conservation measures. It's a shame that we here in South Texas have to rely on hurricanes to get water!

LMWD implements water conservation measures

from the Port Isabel-South Padre Island Press

Laguna Madre Water District residents and businesses are now are facing water restrictions as a result of a recently implemented Stage II water conservation measure. 

The conservation includes restricting lawn watering on a two-day per week staggered schedule. Residents throughout the area received notice of the restrictions in their August water bill. 

LMWD General Manager Carlos Galvan said the voluntary Stage II restrictions are due to the water levels at both the Falcon and Amistad reservoirs falling below 50 percent. If the levels fall below 25 percent, water utilities throughout the Rio Grande Valley will implement much more stringent water conservation measures, which will be mandatory, Galvan said. 

For Laguna Vista and Laguna Heights, the decree allows landscape watering only on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. South Padre Island residents and businesses are regulated to Tuesdays and Fridays and Port Isabel can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 

Washing vehicles, boats, trailers and other mobile equipment is also restricted to these days, the notice indicates. Water use for non-essential purposes is prohibited. In July 2018, the Water District entered Stage II conservation measures for Mild Water Shortage Conditions.

According to the Laguna Madre Water District Water District’s website, the Conservation Plan was approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2009. “The Five year Water Conservation Plan provides an outline of current water conservation initiatives approved by the Board of Directors of the LMWD and conservation measures for the future. Execution of these programs will definitely help the LMWD meet its water conservation goals, and will also allow the District to save money by delaying the construction and expansion of water treatment plants and purchase of additional water rights,” it reads. 

“The Laguna Madre Water District uses the drought and emergency contingency plan during a drought or a number of other uncontrollable circumstances that can disrupt the normal availability of the District water supply. In addition, the purpose of this plan is to conserve and limit the demand of water during emergencies in the LMWD’s water system,” the website notes. 

The Water District has the authority to implement four stages of the overall conservation plan: 

Stage 1 Triggers- Voluntary conservation is the first phase of the plan. This stage is always in effect unless a higher phase is required and enacted. 

Stage 2 Triggers- Mild Water Shortage Conditions. This stage initiates when the level of U.S water stored in Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs reaches 51 percent or 1,660,000 AF (or below). When the level of water is above this amount, this stage may be terminated. 

Stage 3 Triggers- Moderate Water Shortage Conditions. This stage initiates during peak demand days such as Texas Week, Easter, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. When the level of U.S water stored in Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs reaches 25 percent of 834,600 MAF (or below). 

Stage 4 Triggers- Severe Water Shortage Conditions- This stage initiates when the level of U.S. water stored in Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs reaches 15 percent or 504,600 MAG (or below). When the level of water is above this amount, his stage may be terminated. 

Notice of the restrictions haves been posted on various community websites and social media. No reference to violation penalties has been included.  Galvan said water usage in the Laguna Madre region will begin to decline soon as the summer tourist season comes to an end, which should aid things. Water usage within the area doubles during the peak tourist season. 

Sunday, Aug. 12 saw the highest demand for water, with the district pumping some 6.6 million gallons into service that day, Galvan said. The average water draw during the summer is approximately 6.5 million gallons per day, while off-season water usage hovers around 3.5 million gallons per day, he said. 

“This is to raise awareness of the water situation,” Laguna Vista City Manager Rolando Vela said. “We have posted it on our website,” he said. Mayor Susie Houston urges Laguna Vista residents to follow the water conservation guidelines. “At least we can still water on the designated days,” she said, adding, “We will get through this.” 

Galvan remained optimistic that the water conservation measures would have an impact. The last time the district implemented such measures was in 2011. “We did conserve water because our revenue was lower,” he said with a laugh.