Katy upgraded to Stage 3 Emergency Water Conservation, new watering schedule
Katy residents asked to conserve water
*EDITORS NOTE: This video is from the previous story on the City of Katy being in Stage 2. The prolonged Houston heat coupled with a lack of rain means some residents are being forced to make changes. Several local communities say it's time to cut back and conserve that water. FOX 26's Damali Keith has more from Katy on what's being done.
KATY, Texas - The Houston heat coupled with a lack of rain is really wreaking havoc on the area and a Katy has moved from Stage 2 to Stage 3 in their Water Conservation Drought Contingency plan.
Residents in certain areas of town are being asked to use less water.
Under these new guidelines, residents are mandated to water their lawns twice a week between midnight to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Even number addresses must water their lawns on Sunday and Thursday, odd addresses on Saturday and Wednesday, and Commercial/HOA/Greenspace/Right-of-Way on Tuesday and Friday.
Monday is designated a no-watering day by the City of Katy as a storage recovery day.
"You’ve got to do what you got to do to save water," says Katy resident Bobby Brown. "What is it you have to do since rain refuses to make many appearances in the Houston area? A couple of ways to conserve water include turning off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth and taking shorter showers."
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"You don’t want to run out of water especially with not getting as much rain. If we had more rain then we wouldn’t need to do this," says Katy resident Megan Brown.
According to the City of Katy, other guidelines in effect are:
- Prohibit hosing of paved areas, buildings, windows, and any hard‐surfaced areas
- Prohibit operation of ornamental fountains Prohibit washing or rinsing of vehicles by hose
- Prohibit using water in such a manner as to allow runoff or other waste
- Prohibit no new establishment of landscaping
- Prohibit draining and filling of existing pools and filling of new pools
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The goal for Katy in Stage 3 Water Conservation, is to reduce water usage by 15 percent.
In Houston, firefighters have been struggling in the heat to put out flames, such as a 2-alarm fire that previously raged at an auto parts recycling shop.
"We have a cooling station set up so it looks like everything is going well with managing the heat. No reports of heat exhaustion for firefighters or civilians," explained Houston Fire Department Deputy Chief Bryan Sky-Eagle.
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"We had crews on standby to go in. When those firefighters got tired they could come out," said HFD Captain Sedrick Robinett.
As the heat and drought do a number on the area, even governments and businesses are asked to do their part, such as reducing power washing and limiting hydrant flushing.