San Marcos plans Stage 3 water limits

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - San Marcos will implement Stage 3 water restrictions effective noon Monday as the aquifer that serves 2 million people continues its rapid decline.

On Thursday, the San Antonio index well stood at 637.8 feet above mean sea level and had a 10-day average of 639 feet. Under Edwards Aquifer Authority and the city of San Marcos rule, Stage 3 is triggered when the 10-day average at the well falls below 640 feet.

Stage 3 in San Marcos allows:

• Lawn sprinklers and sprinkler systems to be used only once every other week on a designated weekday between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. and midnight.
• Hand watering is allowed any day before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
• Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are allowed once a week on the designated weekday before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

The schedule for use of sprinklers is as follows:

• Aug. 20-24: Sprinklers allowed one day per week.
• Aug. 27-31: No sprinklers.
• Sep. 3-7: Sprinklers allowed one day per week.
• Sept. 10-14: No sprinklers.

Sprinklers are prohibited on Saturdays and Sundays during all stages of drought restrictions.

Stage 3 also prohibits at-home car washing, filling swimming pools, using decorative water features and washing paved surfaces. Waste of water is prohibited it all times.