WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) - Plentiful recent rains have prompted a North Texas city with the tightest water-use restrictions in the state to loosen those restrictions.
Wichita Falls has eased Stage 5 Drought Catastrophe water restrictions to a Stage 3 Drought Emergency for the first time since February 2013. That allows spray outdoor watering from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. on assigned days, hose and sprinkler watering once weekly, use of a soaker hose and filling of swimming pools.
The city had been under Stage 5 restrictions since May 2014, banning outdoor watering in the city of more than 100,000 residents. The city also began reusing treated wastewater in a state-approved recycling process to bolster drinking supplies.
Wichita Falls relies on reservoirs that have seen levels rise from 22 percent of capacity to 54 percent.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.