December 2020
All residents of the Coastal Bend region who get their water from the regional water system managed by the City of Corpus Christi are now under Stage 1 water conservation restrictions.
Conservation measures are required because of falling lake levels. Restrictions were triggered when the combined capacity at Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir fell below 40% in December, 2020
The San Patricio Municipal Water District (SPMWD) has notified municipal water providers of the restrictions. Cities and water supply corporations are responsible for notifying customers and for enforcement.
The main element of the Stage 1 action is to limit lawn watering to no more than one day per week. Water providers are responsible for determining the designated watering day for each residence.
Conservation actions now in effect include:
- Residents can water landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems once a week before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Hand watering is allowed on any day using a shut off nozzle.
- Foundations can be watered once a week with a hose or drip irrigation.
- During Stage 1, commercial car washes and landscape nurseries are not impacted.
Residents are also encouraged to avoid water run-off on streets and sidewalks, check for water leaks around your home and wash full loads in your laundry and dishwasher.
Stage 1 – Mild Water Shortage Watch conservation measures are part of the Drought Contingency Plan adopted by the City of Corpus Christi. The San Patricio Municipal Water District’s water supply contract with Corpus Christi requires that the District have and implement a Drought Contingency Plan that is consistent with the city’s plan. The District’s Drought Contingency Plan was updated in 2019 and the entire plan can be reviewed [HERE]. Stage 1 restrictions remain in place until combined Choke Canyon Reservoir/Lake Corpus Christi (CCR/LCC) levels return to at least 50% of capacity.
The Drought Contingency Plan is intended to help ensure the region's water security and to strive to see that all customers are treated equitably across the seven counties that rely on the region's reservoir system. The plan sets out how water use restrictions will be triggered and how they will apply to customers.
SPMWD customers include the cities of Odem, Taft, Gregory, Portland, Ingleside, Ingleside-on-the-Bay, Aransas Pass, Rockport, Rincon Water Supply Corp., Seaboard Water Supply Corp., Nueces County WCID 4 and several industrial customers.
