BPUB Announces Start of Stage 1 of Drought Contingency Plan
BROWNSVILLE, TX – The Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) went into stage 1 of its drought contingency plan May 1, which calls for voluntary conservation of water. Stage 1 is automatically triggered every May 1.
After a dry winter and spring, Falcon and Amistad lake levels are lower than typical at this time. Current weather forecasts indicate another hot summer without much rain. With more people perhaps being home this summer, there could be more water usage in the months ahead, so it’s good to start thinking about ways to conserve.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reminded the community of the critical role drinking water plays in our lives.
“From our reservoirs to your tap, our mission is to bring customers safe, clean drinking water,” said BPUB General Manager & CEO John S. Bruciak. “Stage 1 is a way for us to start thinking more about our water use and stay aware of how drought conditions affect our water supply.”
Here are some ways customers can start conserving water:
- Irrigate landscaped areas only from midnight-7 a.m. or 7 p.m.-midnight twice-per-week.
- Irrigate landscaped areas with a hand-held garden hose, soaker hose, hand-held bucket or water can, hose-end sprinkler, irrigation system, computer-controlled irrigation system or drip irrigation system to reduce waste.
- Reduce or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes such as washing paved areas or other hard-surfaced areas except to alleviate public safety and/or health hazards.
This announcement closely coincides with Drinking Water Week, an annual observance sponsored by the American Water Works Association. This year’s theme, “There When You Need It,” highlights the work water professionals do to ensure drinking water is always available.
For more information on water conservation or drought conservation stages, please visit www.brownsville-pub.com or call 956-983-6121. The BPUB website has several tools in its GoGreen section that give tips on how to reduce water use. BPUB will also provide useful water conservation tips on its Facebook and Twitter (BPUB_Tweets) profiles.