Texas City Rescinds Ban on Outdoor Watering

Lawns in League City, Texas will once again receive water as a ban on outdoor watering has been lifted. Lawns and landscapes are now able to be watered two days per week.

After several days of bans on watering lawns and landscapes in League City, Texas, residents are free to water again, but may only do it two days a week.

The city, located in the southeastern portion of the state between Houston and Galveston, has gone from State 5 of the drought contingency plan to Stage 2, which is much less restrictive, after receiving confirmation from the Gulf Coast Water Authority, the city’s main water source, that the city is not currently affected by a TCEQ mandate banning all outdoor lawn and landscape watering.

“The TCEQ does ask that all cities consider implementing policies to conserve water wherever possible,” the Gulf Coast Water Authority said in a letter.

Stage 2 of the drought contingency plan has changed slightly since the last time it was implemented, with new designated watering days spread further apart during the week. Residents and council members had complained that watering on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday leaves lawns vulnerable over the weekend.

According to the new plan, the new watering days are Monday and Thursday for even-numbered addresses and Tuesday and Friday for odd-numbered addresses. The hours of irrigation were also changed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., so residents may want to use timers.

Another change to the ordinance: If the TCEQ hands down another mandate, the city is now able to enact it without changing the stage of the drought contingency plan.

Violations of the restriction are considered misdemeanor crimes. Violators may face fines of $500.00 plus court fees each day that one or more restrictions are violated.