City, EAA ease water rules

Recent rains have led the city of San Marcos and the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) to ease water use restrictions.

The city is ending drought restrictions today and returning to year-round water conservation rules. The year-round rules allow the use of sprinklers on any day before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m., and hand watering and soaker hoses or drip irrigation any day at any time. Residents can wash their cars at home but must use buckets or hand-held hoses with automatic shut-off devices. Washing of impervious surfaces is also allowed at any time but should be limited unless required for health and safety.

Current aquifer levels and the full text of the city’s drought rules can be found on the city's website.

The EAA, meanwhile, is decreasing regulations to Stage 1 Critical Period for aquifer users in the San Antonio Pool. As of Sept. 13, the daily high water level at the J-17 Index Well was 664.5 feet mean sea level (msl), with a 10-day average of 657.2 msl. Moreover, the discharge at Comal Springs was 239 cubic feet per second (cfs), with a 10-day average of 203 cfs, and the San Marcos Springs discharge was at 147 cfs with a 10-day average of 133 cfs.

Stage 1 regulations require Edwards groundwater permit holders in Hays, Comal, Guadalupe, Caldwell, Bexar, Medina and Atascosa counties to reduce their annual authorized pumping amount by 20 percent. More information on Stage 1 restrictions is available on the EAA's website.