Water Conservation

STAGE 1 – Mild Water Shortage Conditions

1.   Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9).

2.   Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas only between the hours of midnight to 10:00 am or 8:00 pm to midnight on designated watering days.

3.   Water customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.

STAGE 2 – Moderate Water Shortage Conditions (Frequently Asked Questions)

Under threat of penalty for violation, the following water use restrictions shall apply to all persons:

1.   Hose-end sprinkler systems or automatic irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9).  These types of irrigation are further limited to the irrigation of landscaped areas only between the hours of midnight to 10:00 am or 8:00 pm to midnight on designated watering days.

2.   Irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at any time if it is by means of hand-held hose, a faucet filled bucket or watering can of five (5) gallons are less, or drip irrigation system.

3.   Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of midnight to 10:00 am or 8:00 pm to midnight on designated watering days. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station. Further, such washing may be exempted from these regulations, if the health, safety, and welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.

4.   Use of water to fill, refill, or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools, or jacuzzi- type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of midnight to 10:00 am or 8:00 pm to midnight.

5.   Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

6.   Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting and related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety, and welfare, except that use of water from designated fire hydrants for construction purposes may be allowed under special permit from the City of Killeen.

7.   All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to its patrons except when requested by the patron.

8.   Use of water for the irrigation of golf course greens, tees, and fairways is prohibited except on      designated watering days between the hours of midnight to 10:00 am or 8:00 pm to midnight. However, if the golf course uses a water source other than potable water, the facility shall not be subject to these regulations.   

9.   The following uses of water are defined as non-essential and are prohibited:

a.   Wash down of any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard- surfaced areas.

b.   Use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection;

c.   Use of water for dust control;

d.   Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street; and

e.   Failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice by the City directing the repair of such leak(s).

STAGE 3 – Severe Water Shortage Conditions

 All requirements of Stage 2 shall remain in effect during Stage 3 except:

1.   Irrigation of landscaped  areas shall be limited  to designated  watering days between the hours of midnight to 7:00 am or 9:00 pm to midnight and shall be by means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets,  drip  irrigation,  or  permanently  installed  automatic  sprinkler  system  only. The use of hose-end sprinklers is prohibited at all times.

2.   The  use  of water  for  construction  purposes  from  designated  fire  hydrants  is prohibited,  even where previously allowed.

STAGE 4 – Critical Water Shortage

 All requirements of Stage 2 and 3 shall remain in effect during Stage 4 except:

1. Irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to designated watering days between the hours of midnight to 6:00 am or 10:00 pm to midnight and shall be by means of hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, or drip irrigation only. The use of hose-end sprinklers or permanently installed automatic sprinkler systems are prohibited at all times.

2. Use  of  water  to  wash  any  motor  vehicle,  motorbike,  boat,  trailer,  airplane  or  other  vehicle  not occurring on the premises of a commercial car wash and commercial service stations and, not in the immediate interest of public health, safety, and welfare is prohibited. Further, such vehicle washing at commercial car washes and commercial service stations shall occur only between the hours of 6:00 am and 10:00 am and between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

3. The filling, refilling, or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools, and jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited.

4. Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or when such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

5. No applications for new, additional, expanded, or increased-in-size water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or water service facilities of any kind shall be allowed or approved, and time limits for approval or installation of such applications are hereby suspended for such time as this drought response stage or a higher numbered stage shall be in effect.

STAGE 5 – Emergency Water Shortage Conditions

 All requirements of Stage 2, 3, and 4 shall remain in effect during Stage 5 except:

1. Irrigation of landscaped areas is absolutely prohibited.

2. Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is absolutely prohibited.

3. All outside water uses are prohibited, except for fighting fires and for animals.

20 WAYS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER YOU USE

• Repair all leaky faucets, fixtures, and pipes at your residence.
• Install flow restrictors on faucets.
• Do not leave water running continuously during dish washing, shaving, brushing of teeth and while washing hands.
• Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only for full loads, or utilize the lowest water setting for small loads.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly or start a compost pile for vegetable scraps.
• Scrape dishes clean instead of rinsing them clean.
• Rinse vegetables and fruit in a sink or pan filled with water instead of running them under running water.
• Reuse water from rinsing vegetables for watering plants.
• Keep container of cold water in the refrigerator, as opposed to running the faucet to get cold water.
• Install a low-flow shower head to limit the amount of water dispensed per minute.
• Reduce shower time and/or install a cutoff valve.
• Reduce the amount of water used for bathing by 1 to 2 inches.
• Take a shower not a bath.
• Never use the toilet to dispose of cleaning tissues, cigarette butts or other trash.
• Water lawns only when needed, use a soil moisture meter to determine the need to water.
• Do not over water your yard; over watering results in water run off.
• Use sprinklers that produce large drops of water instead of those that produce a mist.
• Set automatic sprinklers to provide thorough, but infrequent, watering (1 inch every 5 days).
• Utilize rain shutoff devices to prevent watering during rain.
• Use drip irrigation systems for bedded plants, trees, shrubs, or turn the hose upside down so that water penetrates directly into the ground.