Kyle seems alone in tightening water use

Austin, San Marcos have restrictions, but aren’t racheting down more.

After two weeks of scorching heat — even by Central Texas summer standards — officials in Kyle announced this week they will be ratcheting up their mandatory water conservation program.

However, the city appears to be alone not only in Hays County but throughout the region in tightening water use, even as data from the U.S. Drought Monitor show nearly 27 percent of the state is now considered abnormally dry or in some stage of drought.

“Current demand trends are reminiscent of the 2011 water usage patterns,” Jason Biemer, a top water official with the town, said in a statement that referenced the brutal drought from earlier this decade. “I’ll recommend Stage 2 for as long as it’s the right thing to do.”

In addition to “limited rainfall and high temperatures,” Biemer said, Kyle’s average daily water demand in July was 3.6 million gallons per day.

”We had one day in July where demand peaked (at) nearly 5 million gallons,” he said. “Our annual average is 2.6 million gallons a day.”

The Stage 2 water restrictions