The Courier of Montgomery County reports that as the population of Conroe continues to grow at a rapid rate, the City is putting into effect citywide landscape irrigation restrictions as the city’s water and sewer infrastructure is strained.
On Thursday, councilmembers all agreed they needed to change the city’s ordinance on irrigation. As a result of the change, watering will be restricted to those addresses ending with even numbers on Wednesdays and Saturdays and odd numbers on Tuesdays and Fridays. Only on their respective days can residents water their lawn from 6 PM to 10 AM.
As the city tackles water supply problems the restrictions will continue.
Violaters of the ordinance will pay fines, after a first warning. A second violation results in a $200 fine, a third results in a $300 fine and, after that, each violation will bring a $500 fine.
Councilmember Hardman views the restrictive watering moves as not about conserving water but as action due to the City of Conroe’s dearth of infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing city.
A memo on April 18th sent to Assistant City Administrator Norm McGuire and City Engineer Chris Bogert set the stage for concern. Houston based water consultant Lockwood, Andrews & Newmans’, memo was a notification that there was “a dire situation” on the city’s north side with water pressure.
On May 15th, a boil water notice had to be issued to residents in the northern Conroe area after their system for water lost pressure.
Back in a city workshop meeting in May of 22, Bogert and McGuire advised councilmembers to specifically arrange for over $50 million in infrastructure needs as the city moved toward the budget season.
McGuire said, “Over the last five years,” if the funds had been provided for him, they wouldn’t be talking about it now.
