Drought Response Stages

Drought Response Stages help promote water conservation. Each stage corresponds to different water shortage conditions. Following the conditions for each stage conserves water during times when supply is limited. This page contains a summary of the different stages. The complete Drought Response Stages are available here.

STAGE 1—MILD WATER SHORTAGE

• Goal: Voluntarily reduce water usage/daily demand.
  • Practice water conservation.
  • Minimize or discontinue non-essential water use.
  • On designated days, limit landscape irrigation to between 8 p.m. and midnight and midnight and 10 a.m.
    
    • Even addresses: Sundays and Thursdays.
    • Odd Addresses: Saturdays and Wednesdays.

STAGE 2—MODERATE WATER SHORTAGE

• Goal: Reduce water usage by 10%.
  • On designated days, limit landscape irrigation to between 8 p.m. and midnight and midnight and 10 a.m.
    
    • Even addresses: Sundays and Thursdays.
    • Odd Addresses: Saturdays and Wednesdays.
  • Limit washing of motor vehicles (cars, motorcycles, boats, trailers, airplanes) to designated hours and days. When allowed, washing should be done with a bucket and hose with a shutoff nozzle that allows for quick rinsing. Vehicle washing at commercial car washes is permissible at any time.
  • Fill, refill or add water to pools or Jacuzzis only during designated hours and days.
  • Operating ornamental fountains or ponds is prohibited unless to support aquatic life.
  • Using water from fire hydrants is limited to firefighting related activities or when necessary to maintain public health, safety and welfare. Water may be made available from designated hydrants for construction purposes only under a special permit from City of Belton.
  • Restaurants prohibited from serving water unless patrons request it.
  • Other non-essential water uses that are prohibited:
    
    • Washing down hard surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, parking lots or tennis courts;
    • Washing buildings or other structures;
    • Using water for dust control;
    • Flushing gutters or allowing water to accumulate/run in the gutter or street;
    • Failing to repair leaks within reasonable period after being notified by the City.

• Supply management measures: Discontinue flushing of water mains and flow testing of fire hydrants.

• Goal: Reduce total water usage by 40%
  • Stage 2 requirements remain in place except:
    • Hose-end sprinklers prohibited. Landscape irrigation on designated watering days limited to automatic sprinkler systems, hand-held buckets and hoses, or drip irrigation.
    • Water use from designated fire hydrants for construction purposes is prohibited, even where previously allowed.

STAGE 4—CRITICAL WATER SHORTAGE

• Goal: Reduce water usage by 50%
  • Stage 2-3 requirements remain in effect except:
    • Using hose-end sprinklers or automatic sprinkler systems is prohibited at all times. Irrigation of landscaped areas limited to hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets, or drip irrigation on designated watering days between 6-10 a.m. and 8 p.m.-midnight.
    • Using water to wash motor vehicles prohibited unless it is in the immediate interest of public health, safety, and welfare; or  occurs at a commercial car wash between 6-10 a.m. or 6-10 p.m.
    • Filling, refilling, or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools, and Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited.
    • No applications for new, additional, expanded, or increased-in-size water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or water service facilities of any kind shall be allowed or approved.

STAGE 5—EMERGENCY WATER SHORTAGE

• Goal: Reduce water usage by 60%
  • During Stage 5, all requirements of Stages 1-4 remain in effect except:
    • Landscape irrigation prohibited.
    • Washing any vehicle prohibited.
    • Outside water uses prohibited, except for fighting fires and for animals.