By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-981773.mp3
Dallas, TX – The city of Dallas is asking all water customers to voluntarily cut back on lawn and landscape watering. Jody Puckett is director of Dallas Water Utilities.
Jody Puckett: Twice a week watering is really a good conservation method. A number of cities have already mandated that for their customers. And we think that's a good practice. And so, what we're trying to get folks to pay attention to is their water use. We want to have that here for them over the course of this drought, however long it lasts.
Puckett says lake levels are down 19%, not enough to trigger mandatory water restrictions - but says enough to cause concern. Homes and businesses with even number addresses are asked to water on Sundays and Thursdays; odd numbers on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
Flower Mound and Southlake are among Tarrant County cities asking residents to limit outdoor watering. Grand Prairie has mandatory water use restrictions in place because of peak demand that's put a severe strain on city reserves.
The cities on the North Texas Municipal Water Districts; including McKinney, Plano and Garland, have until August 19th to initiate "Stage 2" mandatory two-days-a-week watering restrictions.