Winter Watering Restrictions in the Pearson Sprinkler Company Service Area

Despite the arrival of winter, the decrease in daily temperature from the scorching 100ºF days of summer, and slight increase of precipitation, watering restrictions remain for most of the Pearson Sprinkler Company service area.  Plano, North Dallas, Richardson, Allen, Murphy, Parker, Frisco, and McKinney are currently enforcing a “Stage 2” watering restriction.  Most of these cities and towns obtain some, if not all, of the public’s water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD).

According to the NTMWD, the NTMWD issued a Stage 2 water restriction in late August 2012, to be in effect until further notice.  Typically for the cities in the Pearson Sprinkler Company service area, Stage 2 watering restrictions include, but are not necessarily limited to, watering with an automatic sprinkler system no more than two times per week, no watering between the hours of 10am and 6pm, and soaker hose and/or drip irrigation use permitted up to two hours on any day for foundation and trees.  Please consult your city’s water department for specific restrictions and watering guidelines for your community.

“The rainfall we have received this year along with water projections and meeting our water use reduction goals has put NTMWD in a position to remain in Stage 2,” said Jim Parks, Executive Director of NTMWD, as opposed to remaining in Stage 3 water restrictions.  “While our primary reservoirs are in good shape, we are still unable to use Lake Texoma, 28% of the total NTMWD water supply, due to the infestation of an invasive species, the zebra mussel,” Parks added.

Unfortunately, the Pearson Sprinkler Company service area will not have the possibility of being free of watering restrictions until the water supply from Lake Texoma is restored.  The NTMWD does not expect to resume pumping water from Lake Texoma until a pipeline extension from the Texoma water treatment plant in Wylie is completed in the fall of 2013.