Drought Restrictions

EAA Rules:

During dry periods in 1998 and 2000, the EAA implemented emergency rules that mandated specific water-use cutbacks and also told people what they had to do, such as limit lawn watering. The current EAA rules require percentage cutbacks but do not specify what steps cities must take to reduce pumping or when a city's own drought rules must be implemented.

The various Critical Period Stage trigger levels are based on J-17 levels or springflow rates. Until 2007, the EAA declared a Stage I Critical Period when the J-17 reached 650', and many cities across the region had adopted rules that implemented local restrictions in conjunction with EAA declarations. In 2007, the EAA's rules were revised to comply with new State mandates and trigger levels were raised. Whereas previously Stage I started when the J-17 reached 650', now the EAA declares Stage I at 660'.

At that time, San Antonio left its own trigger levels in place, saying it could meet the required percentage cutbacks by drawing water from reserves at its Aquifer Storage and Recovery Facility. When the EAA declared a Stage I in the summer of 2008, that strategy indeed worked. However, many felt the disconnect between SAWS and EAA trigger levels caused confusion for everyday people. Hardly anyone understood how the region could be in Stage I but San Antonio was not.

To address this disconnect, in February of 2009 San Antonio adopted new J-17 trigger levels that match those of EAA. In most cases, the changes will make drought declarations more uniform and the San Antonio public will have a much clearer indication that restrictions are in force based on J-17 levels. The ordinance did not, however, recognize declining springflows as a trigger, so it will still be possible for the EAA to declare a drought stage without San Antonio following suit.

Although San Antonio's actions will clarify most drought declarations, there is still a lack of regional consistency regarding how the drought rules of various cities are declared or applied, so it will often still be difficult for citizens to know what rules apply to them.

Below are the EAA Critical Period Triggers, Stages, and Withdrawal Reductions:

San Antonio Pool

Critical Period Stage*

J-17 Index Well (feet above msl)

Comal Springs Flow (cfs)

 San Marcos Springs Flow (cfs) Withdrawal Reduction

I

< 660' msl

< 225 cfs

< 96 cfs

20%

II

< 650' msl

< 200 cfs

< 80 cfs 30%

III

< 640' msl

< 150 cfs

n/a 35%

IV

< 630' msl

< 100 cfs

n/a 40%
Uvalde Pool

Critical Period Stage*

J-17 Index Well (feet above msl)

Comal Springs Flow (cfs)

 San Marcos Springs Flow (cfs) Withdrawal Reduction

I

n/a

n/a

 n/a

n/a

II

< 850' msl

n/a

 n/a

5%

III

< 845' msl

n/a

 n/a

20%

IV

< 842' msl

n/a

 n/a

35%
* A change to a critical period stage with higher withdrawal reduction percentages is triggered if the 10-day average of daily springflows at the Comal Springs or the San Marcos Springs or the 10-day average of daily aquifer levels at the J-17 Index Well drops below the lowest number of any of the trigger levels. A change to a critical period stage with lower withdrawal reduction percentages is triggered only when the 10-day average of daily springflows at the Comal Springs and the San Marcos Springs and the 10-day average of daily aquifer levels at the J-17 Index Well are all above the same stage trigger level.

 

San Antonio's Rules

Cities may adopt whatever measures they deem necessary to meet the pumping reductions required by the Edwards Aquifer Authority.  Below are the restrictions that San Antonio has adopted. If you live outside San Antonio, check with your local municipality or county agency to determine what restrictions apply to you.

San Antonio Year-Round Restrictions:

  • Water waste is prohibited at all times. Allowing water to run off into a gutter, ditch, or drain or failing to repair a controllable leak is considered water waste.
     
  • Residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural Edwards Aquifer water users should use common sense and best practices to avoid water waste.
     
  • Landscape watering with an irrigation system or sprinkler is permitted any day of the week between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 a.m.
     
  • Hand watering with a hand-held hose, drip irrigation or bucket is permitted any time of day.
     
  • Washing impervious cover such as parking lots, driveways, streets or sidewalks is permitted, but should be done responsibly to avoid excessive runoff.
     
  • Non-commercial washing of vehicles and mobile equipment (e.g. washing vehicles at a residence) is permitted any time. Use of an automatic shut-off nozzle or bucket of 5 gallons or less is recommended to prevent water waste.
     
  • The use of commercial vehicle wash facilities is permitted any day.

San Antonio Stage I Restrictions:

Stage One Alert begins when the Aquifer level reaches 660 feet mean sea level at the monitored well.

  • Water waste is prohibited at all times. Water waste includes allowing water to run off into a gutter, ditch, or drain; or failing to repair a controllable leak.
     
  • You should reduce water consumption by any means available.
     
  • All non-public swimming pools must have a minimum of 25 percent of the surface area covered with evaporation screens when not in use. Inflatable pool toys or floating decorations may be used.
     
  • Hand watering with a hand-held hose, soaker hose, drip irrigation, bucket or watering can is permitted any time and any day.
     
  • Washing impervious cover such as parking lots, driveways, streets or sidewalks is prohibited. Health and safety exceptions to this rule may be requested from SAWS in writing.
     
  • Residential washing of vehicles or other equipment is allowed only on assigned watering days and times. A hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle or bucket of five gallons or less may be used. Water should not be allowed to run into the street.
     
  • The use of commercial car wash facilities is allowed any day.
     
  • Operators of golf courses, athletic fields and parks must submit a conservation plan to SAWS. For submittal requirements operators should contact SAWS Conservation Department at 704-SAVE. Golf courses, athletic fields and parks may not irrigate between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
     
  • Landscape areas on golf courses not directly "in play" are required to follow one-day-per-week watering based on address unless otherwise instructed by SAWS.
     
  • Use of fountains, waterfalls, or other aesthetic water features — outdoors or indoors — is prohibited.
     
  • Watering with an irrigation system or sprinkler is allowed only once a week before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on your designated watering day as determined by your address:
Last Digit of Address Day
0 or 1 Monday
2 or 3 Tuesday
4 or 5 Wednesday
6 or 7 Thursday
8 or 9 Friday

Stage I restrictions continue until there is an announcement in the newspaper that Stage I has been canceled or that Stage II is in effect.

San Antonio Stage II Restrictions:

Stage Two Alert Alert begins when the Aquifer level reaches 650 feet mean sea level at the monitored well.

  • All restrictions from Stage 1.
     
  • Aesthetic fountains prohibited, unless treated wastewater is used.
     
  • Watering with a hand-held hose or drip irrigation permitted during the hours of 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. any day.
     
  • Watering with an irrigation system or sprinkler, permitted only once a week on the designated watering day during the hours of 3 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.:
     
Last Digit of Address Day
0 or 1 Monday
2 or 3 Tuesday
4 or 5 Wednesday
6 or 7 Thursday
8 or 9 Friday
  • Filling of new and existing swimming pools is prohibited unless at least 30% of the water is obtained from a source other than the Edwards Aquifer. In addition, refilling is permitted only if it has been drained for repairs.
     
  • Conforming golf courses shall effect a 20% reduction of ET rate. Non-conforming golf courses shall use no more than 1.6 times their base usage. Accompanied by reduced irrigation times.
     
  • Athletic fields shall reduce water use by an additional 5% from Stage 1 and have on with SAWS an approved conservation plan.
     
  • Non-commercial washing of vehicles is permitted only on the assigned residential landscape watering day & times. Use of a commercial vehicle wash facility is permitted any day.

Stage 2 restrictions continue until there is an announcement in the newspaper that Stage 2 has been canceled or that Stage 3 is in effect.

San Antonio Stage III Restrictions:

Stage Three Alert begins when the Aquifer level reaches 640 feet mean sea level at the monitored well.

  • All restrictions from Stage 2.
     
  • Aesthetic fountains prohibited, unless treated wastewater is used.
     
  • Irrigation with a soaker hose, hose-end sprinkler or in-ground irrigation system is allowed every other week beginning on the second Monday after the Stage III has been declared, 3:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Handheld hose, drip irrigation system or 5 gallon bucket Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays during Stage III hours.
     
  • Watering newly planted landscapes permitted only with a variance from the SAWS’ Conservation Department.
     
  • Conforming golf courses shall effect a 10% reduction of ET rate. Non-conforming golf courses shall use no more than 1.8 times their base usage.
     
  • Athletic fields shall reduce water use by an additional 5% from Stage 1 and have on with SAWS an approved conservation plan.
     
  • Non-commercial washing of vehicles is permitted only on the assigned residential landscape watering day & times. Use of a commercial vehicle wash facility is permitted any day.
     
  • Water runoff onto streets is prohibited.
Last Digit of Address Day
0 or 1 Monday
2 or 3 Tuesday
4 or 5 Wednesday
6 or 7 Thursday
8 or 9 Friday

Stage 3 restrictions continue until there is an announcement in the newspaper that Stage 3 has been canceled.