A. Lee Graham Reporter
Fort Worth residents and businesses are reminded that Stage 1 watering restrictions take effect on Monday as the area grapples with low water supply levels. “We’ve been informed by the Tarrant Regional Water District that we’ll hit the trigger for Stage 1 in early June,” said city Water Director Frank Crumb, explaining the situation at a recent City Council meeting. By “trigger,” Crumb referred to when the district’s water capacity drops to 75 percent. As of Friday May 31, the district’s total storage capacity was 75.4 percent. Beginning Monday June 1, Fort Worth residents must follow Stage 1 water rules, which limit outdoor watering with an irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler to a maximum of two assigned days per week for all customers. For residential customers whose addresses end in odd numbers, lawn and landscape watering is only allowed on Sundays and Thursdays. Those whose addresses end in even numbers are restricted to watering on Saturdays and Wednesdays only. Businesses and other non-residential customers may water on Tuesdays and Fridays only. Outdoor watering with automated sprinklers will continue to be prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., a conservation measure in place before the newly announced Stage 1 restrictions. While those restrictions are in effect, customers must follow other practices, as well. Those include vehicle washing only using hand-held buckets and hoses with positive shutoff valves and no hosing of buildings or other structures for reasons other than fire protection. Customers are encouraged to avoid hosing off sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and other paved areas, with hotels, restaurants and bars encouraged to serve water only upon request. All 225,000 Fort Worth retail customer accounts – including those outside city limits – must follow the restrictions. They also apply to wholesale customers, which purchase treated water and resell it. Among wholesale customers that regularly purchase water are Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Grand Prairie, Haltom City, Hurst, Keller, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Southlake, Trophy Club Municipal Utility District, Westover Hills, Westworth Village and White Settlement.
