Water conservation measures in| Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

A Saturday morning rush to revive parched lawns in two Fort Bend subdivisions drained wells low enough to trigger a boil-water notice.

In addition, dry conditions and high water usage led to water conservation measures in Conroe, Pearland and The Woodlands.

“We’re not getting any rain and it looks like the drought conditions will continue to worsen throughout the region,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kent Prochazka, who is based in the League City office.

There’s been just a trace of rain at Bush Intercontinental Airport this month. For the year, rainfall at the airport is nearly 6 inches below normal, and 85 percent of the rain fell in March and April, Prochazka said. The last significant downpour — 2½ inches — happened on April 28, he said.

The lack of precipitation, coupled with temperatures nudging toward triple digits, has caused a spike in water demand across the Greater Houston area.

Nighttime car washing

Last Wednesday, water use by Conroe’s 55,000 residents exceeded 95 percent of the city groundwater pumping system’s capacity, prompting the city to restrict residential car-washing, lawn-watering and the filling of pools to the hours between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“If we don’t get some relief, the next step will probably be water rationing,” Conroe Mayor Webb Melder said. “People will be going to alternate days on watering lawns.”

By 6:30 a.m. Saturday, the wells serving two Fort Bend subdivisions — Seven Meadows and Hickory Creek — were working so hard they couldn’t meet demand.

The low-pressure episode triggered mandatory testing to determine whether bacteria leaked into the lines, said Mike Thornhill, a manager with Southwest Water Co., which runs the area’s wells.

“Because of the lack of rain, people are watering more and that’s what’s doing it,” Thornhill said. “Everybody wants more water because of the heat and lack of rain.”

Boil until further notice

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, there are about 900 households in Fort Bend Municipal Utility District 34. Those residents are advised to boil water used for cooking, drinking and making ice until the order is lifted — which won’t happen until this afternoon at the earliest.

“Everybody needs to say a water prayer and ask for some divine help,” Melder said. “Hopefully, we can get some rain.”

via chron.com