BURTON LIFTS WATER CONSERVATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS PLANNED NEXT WEEKEND

  

The City of Burton has lifted its Stage 4 Drought Contingency Plan with work ongoing at the site of the new water well, but residents and businesses will need to be prepared for emergency water restrictions next weekend.

In a notice sent to Burton water customers, Burton Mayor Karen Buck said while water usage can return to normal for now, work with the water well has reached a stage where it needs to undergo a 36-hour testing period required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).  The testing period will occur between Friday, August 22^nd and Sunday, August 24^th, with more details about an official start and end time coming next week.

According to Buck, because only one water well can run at a time, the city’s existing well must be turned off for the 36-hour testing period in order to perform multiple state-required tests on the new well.

During the testing period between the 22^nd and 24^th, the city water system will be on emergency water use only.  Residents will need to limit their water usage to only what is needed for basic daily living for those 36 hours.  Only the water stored in the city’s reserves will be available for use while the testing is ongoing.

Buck said the testing period was moved to a weekend in order to minimize the impact of the water shut down to Burton ISD, as well as the impact of hundreds of students and staff on the water system.  Water conservation efforts from households will allow any businesses open over the weekend to remain open and provide services to the community. 

Buck said the entire testing period will be a “group project” and thanks the public for its continued water conservation efforts.