SAN MARCOS, Texas – San Marcos is moving into Stage 2 of watering restrictions that will go into effect Sunday, June 17 at noon.

The city has been under Stage 1 drought restrictions for less than a month but dry weather conditions have caused the Edwards Aquifer 10-day average to drop from 650 feet.

New restrictions will shorten sprinkler and watering hours and prohibit the filling of decorative water features.

Here are all the watering rules you need to know:

Limited/prohibited:

  • Sprinkler use is limited to one day per week on the designated weekday determined by the last number of your address
  •  0 or 1 – Monday
  •  2 or 3 – Tuesday
  •  4 or 5 – Wednesday
  •  6 or 7 – Thursday
  •  8 or 9 – Friday
  •  No watering on weekends
  • Filling new decorative water features such as fountains is prohibited
  • At-home car washing, washing of impervious surfaces and foundation watering is limited to one day per week

Allowed:

  • Hose-end watering on weekdays before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m
  • Automatic irrigation systems on the designated weekday beginning at 8 p.m. and ending the following morning at 8 a.m
  • Using soaker hoses or drip irrigation any day before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m
  • Hand watering on any day and time

Aquifer levels are declining at a rapid pace between 1 to 2 feet every day, Tom Taggart, executive director of Public Services, said.

“At this rate we could easily reach Stage 3 restrictions in just a few weeks, so we all need to really step up our conservation efforts,“ Taggart said.

For more information, visit www.sanmarcostx.gov/drought or call 512.393.8310.