The City of Brownwood announced Wednesday that they will be reducing outdoor water restrictions for one week starting next Monday.  Officials said that the Brown County Water Improvement District needs to run acceptance testing on their new water treatment facility at a maximum rate to make sure they can meet the needs of customers in peak demand.  With current restrictions in place, the plant will need to produce more water than customers are currently using.  To help facilitate this very important test and to allow the water to be beneficially used, the City of Brownwood is reducing watering restrictions for one week for this event.  With the exception of these test days, Stage III requirements are still in effect and will continue until further notice.

According to city officials, the testing will run from Monday September 24th to Friday September 28th.  Pools can be filled, cars can be washed and landscaping may be watered. Parks, sports fields and other public areas may be watered at this time.  The Brownwood Fire Department will be performing fire hydrant testing during this time as well.

“The only restriction during the Monday-Friday test period, is that you don’t waste water.  As long as the water is kept on the customer’s property, they can water as much as they want,” said Assistant Division Director of Public Works David Harris.  “We have to get the water plant up to 7.5 million gallons per day to adequately test and ultimately certify the plant.”

The plant must filter the volume of 7.5 million gallons per day for a period of at least three days to show that it can handle its maximum capacity in order to be certified, said Harris.

“It is more beneficial to put this water to use.  This is a time when customers can get a good deep watering on their trees and landscape to get them by until winter,” explained Harris.

Because of cold weather and recent rain showers, water usage was down to 3.8 million gallons on Tuesday.  One month ago, the volume of usage was 6.4 million gallons.  Harris stated that the cool weather and rains have helped in the conservation effort.  However, the 7.5 million gallon usage is necessary to get the plant certified.

This event is only for Brownwood residents and customers of the City of Brownwood Water system.

Other utilities in the area must remain on the schedules and restrictions of their respective water provider.  Brownwood’s water system makes up approximately 70% of the BCWID’s total usage.  Other systems, although tied to the BCWID, have rate structures in their restrictions which complicate their systems’ billing if their customers were to be allowed to water freely explained Harris.

Water waste is prohibited.  Water waste is defined as allowing runoff in the streets or alleys, over watering of lawns, or leaking pipes that are not repaired.

“I believe most of our citizens understand the issue of drought and will do what it takes to preserve our resources,” said Harris.  “Please use this water wisely.”

Free information on ways to conserve is available at the City of Brownwood city hall in the public information center on topics including indoor, outdoor usage.  The City of Brownwood also has information on their website http://www.ci.brownwood.tx.us/.