WHITEHOUSE, Texas — Editor's Note: Video is not related to article and aired on June 21, 2022.
The residents of the City of Whitehouse have been asked to irrigate on certain days of the week due to the lack of rain and spike in water system usage over the weekends.
According to Whitehouse, the city has a drought contingency plan that outlines factors that can trigger different stages of water restrictions. Although the city has not reached the point where a mandatory reduction in water is issued, it will be asking for a voluntary compliance to alleviate demand on the water system.
Whitehouse has a water supply that has the capacity to meet the needs of the community but the city has seen a significant spike in demand on the weekends when a majority of people water their lawns at the same time.
Recently, the city has used 1.2 million gallons of water within the span of five days which is roughly half of their daily pumping capacity without using any external source.
To help prolong or possibly prevent the need to implement mandatory reductions, Whitehouse residents and commercial users are encouraged to follow the irrigation schedule:
- Addresses ending in an even number- Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday
- Addresses ending in an old number- Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
- All watering should be between the hours of 6 p.m.-10a.m.
- No outdoor watering on Saturdays
The reductions in irrigation will ensure if any large water main breaks or fires occur, the city's water supply can continue to meet all the needs of the community without relying on any additional water supplier.