SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING - DROUGHT STAGES AND WATER CONSERVATION METHODS

Assistant Water Production Superintendent, Art Villarreal presents the Drought Stage and Water Conservation Plan at June 18th's Special Council Meeting.

The Del Rio City Council met on June 18, 2024 for a Special Meeting to discuss Water Resource Planning and Conservation Methods. The council heard first from Art Villarreal, Assistant Water Production Superintendent, on water conservation methods and watering schedules as well as the various drought stages and their provisions. Followed by a presentation from Daniel Diaz of International Consulting Engineers, and his colleagues proposing several water resource plans and environmental studies to potentially address water supply concerns within the city of Del Rio. 

Villarreal’s water conservation presentation included the various stages of a drought and the measures required at each stage. Beginning with Stage 1, where citizens are advised to follow a 5 day watering schedule and limit unnecessary water usage, but these measures are not yet required. Stage 2, where a mandatory 5 day watering schedule is put into place from Monday-Friday from 12am-10am or 7pm-11:59pm and permanent irrigation limited to once a week usage as stated in the schedule between designated hours. Stage 3, would be considered a severe water shortage with the continued use of the watering schedule and the prohibition of all sprinkler systems and permanent irrigation, manual car washing, and filling of swimming pools at all times. Finally, Stage 4 would be considered an emergency, the city would seek assistance through local and state emergency management, and residents would be made aware of the need to boil water, use bottled water, or other designated alternate water supplies. 

Del Rio is currently in Stage 2 of drought and citizens are encouraged to follow the 5 day watering schedule which will be based on the last number of citizen’s addresses and days of the week, as well as other conservation measures. In order to spread the word and make the community aware, council members and Public Works officials encouraged the city to share the watering schedule on their social media platforms regularly. 

“It takes the community to be aware, it takes the city of Del Rio to be posting this schedule periodically,” Public Works Director, Greg Velasquez, urged the council. “One recommendation that came through from a customer that called me was, let’s use our local paper and the radio for those who don’t have social media, as well as keeping track of who is and who isn’t complying,” he added. 

Mayor Arreola and other council members addressed the lack of public information about our drought status and proposed pamphlets or QR codes be attached to monthly billing statements and the possible use of the mobile Emergency Alert System to keep citizens informed on the city’s drought stage and the conservation measures currently in place. “The problem we have is that the public is not aware of what stage we’re at, the public has no knowledge of what even Stage 2 or any of the stages are about,” Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem, Steven T. Webb, stated. “We’ve got to do more education and we’re not doing enough,” he stressed to the room.

Stage 2 City of Del Rio 5 Day Watering Schedule as presented during the Special City Council Meeting on June 18, 2024.

The following presentation by International Consulting Engineers, proposed several solutions for a number of Del Rio’s current water supply issues including the installation of 5 detention ponds to mitigate flooding and drainage issues in the San Felipe Creek, Jap Lowe, Cienegas Creek, and Cantu Branch watershed areas, updating existing elevated tanks and installation of new ones to improve water pressure on Bedell and Agarita, San Felipe Water Treatment Skid Replacement, San Felipe East Spring Retaining Wall Inspection, and the biggest topic of discussion, a possible third, and larger water well. 

Several locations for an additional well were presented, the recommended and most economical location being the Archery Range which sits closest to the water treatment plant. If approved by the city, a test well would be installed and a pumping test would be conducted with results in 30-60 days determining whether the location is a reliable water source for city use. 

“I think the administration’s gonna get their heads together with ICE and we’re gonna see how much this is gonna cost us and then we’ll bring it back hopefully not by the end of the month, but mid-July,” Mayor Arreola told those in attendance, emphasizing the urgency and need to prioritize this issue. “I think it’s a focus area, we have to look further into this, we can’t be waiting and hoping for rain.”

More updates to come as Connect Del Rio follows this ongoing issue. 

This Journalist can be reached at alondra.sanchez@connectdelrio.com