Director of Public Works David Kaufman announced last week that the plan had been lifted due to increasing relief on the city’s water supply system.

Kaufman explained that in order to lift the Stage 1 plan, the city’s water demand needed to remain below 60 percent for three consecutive days.

Due to a significant drop in water usage over the July 4 weekend, the city’s water system usage was reported at 57 percent on July 6.

The Houston area finally received a much-needed downpour July 7, which briefly ended a drought of more than a month. The following day, Kaufman said, water usage dropped to 46 percent.

Following another 46 percent report on July 9, the city lifted the Stage 1 plan. That plan called for residents to voluntarily limit their excess water usage and to alternate days on which they watered their lawns.

Kaufman said the efforts by the residents, along with the heavy rains on July 7, helped ease the use of the city’s water supply system.

“I think we get enough of a long soaking rain that I think we’ll be fine,” he said.

Kaufman added that the city’s water use is “verging closer to normal summer time demand,” which typically falls into the high 30 or low 40 percent range. The city’s yearly average is 33 percent.

But while the city is lifting its drought plan, it’s still not out of the woods yet. Several more days of high temperatures and little to no rainfall could mean more water use restrictions, Kaufman said.

“The good news is we’re still getting calls from people more than willing to cut back on their water use,” he said. “The misconception is that it’s a water supply issue. (The issue is) the system’s ability to produce water as fast as it’s being pumped out.”

While the Stage 1 plan has been lifted, Kaufman and the City of Tomball are still asking that residents voluntarily limit their water use over the next several days. For more information about water use restrictions, visit the city’s website at www.tomballtx.com.

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