Wichitans will soon see mandatory restrictions on lawn and flower watering as the city copes with an ongoing drought. City pools also will close earlier than usual. Officials announced Thursday that the city is entering Stage 2 of its drought response. When the restrictions go into effect on Monday, Aug. 5, Wichitans will be limited to watering lawns and flower gardens once a week and will be prohibited from watering between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. “We must all come together to change our lawn care practices in order to preserve our most precious resource,” City Manager Robert Layton said. “We’re probably going to have to get used to brown lawns in order to make sure that we have safe drinking water for all of our residents.” Water levels at Cheney Reservoir have dropped below 62% as of the last reading, a historic low. City officials had previously encouraged Wichitans to reduce water use voluntarily. With the Stage 2 restrictions in effect, residents will now be fined for perpetual violations. Food-producing gardens are exempt from the restrictions as long as they are watered by irrigation rather than an automatic sprinkler system. Residents who use well water for irrigation are also exempt. Businesses dependent on water use for operations such as hospitals, car washes and golf courses are exempt from watering restrictions.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
