THE WATER COOLER FROM FACEBOOK. COM/STATESMAN

Austin has passed the thresholds at which the city is supposed to consider ending so-called Stage 2 water restrictions — which limit watering lawns to once a week, among other conservation measures — but city officials say they have no plans to ease the city’s once-a-week lawn watering restrictions. City Manager Marc Ott said in a memo this week that a permanent adoption of the once-a-week watering rule would acknowledge that Central Texas is still in “a long-term drought or even a permanent shift in climate” and that conserving water is a “strong community value.”

Dottye Holt: The entire state ought to be on once-a-week watering. You don’t need any more than that to keep your lawn green. At the same time, homeowners should consider replacing outdated spray systems with drip irrigation and add native and drought-resistant plants to yards to reduce the grassy area.

Frank Heffern: Will the city, too, only water one day a week?

Stacey Britton: And let’s just go ahead and replace the fountains around the city that are never on with something else. What is more depressing than an empty fountain?

Bob Alma: Oh, great, we all restrict water — which I agree with — only to allow more water for the new water park and golf course coming. That’s fair.

Ray O’Neal: Future generations will look back in amazement at car washes and water parks and the like. Sometimes, we don’t realize how good we actually have it.

Karl Jennings: Good. Why waste good drinking water on lawns. And let’s have rules on HOAs, as well, against harassing owners who do not have pristine laws due to watering just once a week. Common sense, people.

Andy Jones: Texas as a whole should stay on Stage 2 or 3 water restrictions so people will make conservation a habit. Time to train the humans!