Residents of the City of Taylor are grappling with new Stage 3 water restrictions, a move prompted by pump failures at Lake Granger, as reported by CBS Austin. The Brazos River Authority is now enforcing the limitations due to an electrical mishap that took down multiple pumps. While one was swiftly reactivated, the rest remain out of commission, putting a strain on the city's water capabilities.
The urgency of the situation has compelled city officials to ask residents and businesses to now only use water for the most essential purposes. According to officials quoted by CBS Austin, they expect the matter to be resolved in a timely manner but, until then, people must refrain from "using large volumes of water including, emptying and refilling your pool, washing your car at home, etc."
With the enactment of Stage 3 restrictions, outdoor irrigation has been severely restricted. Watering times are now set between midnight and 10 a.m., and again from 8 p.m. to midnight, but only for specific groups on assigned days. KXAN notes that customers with even-numbered addresses can water their gardens on Sundays and Thursdays, while those with odd-numbered addresses are limited to doing so on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
The limitations on how one can use water to tend to their gardens are also in place. According to CBS Austin, individuals may only water their landscapes during the allotted time slots using "hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, drip irrigation, or permanently installed automatic sprinkler systems." In a move to conserve every possible drop, the Brazos River Authority has decreed that hose-end sprinklers are to strictly be avoided at all times.
Despite the grim picture that pump failures paint for the City of Taylor, the drinking water supply remains intact. No immediate shortages are expected for residents or for those receiving water from adjacent districts such as Jonah Special Utility District and the Lone Star Regional Water Authority. Further details and the full drought contingency plan can be found via the links provided by KXAN.
