The arrival of much needed rain, while cause for enjoyment, is as yet insufficient to release us from the state of drought. Please remember that we remain in a Stage 2 Drought Condition, and that Stage 2 conservation measures must be in effect.

In August 2009, 19 households consumed in excess of 10,000 gallons each. Of these, 6 households consumed in excess of 20,000 gallons each. At the opposite end of the spectrum, 31 households consumed 5,000 gallons or less in the month of August, so kudos to you! The monthly neighborhood consumption charts are posted on the SRE website (under WSC Documents), so we will see shortly how the recent rains have affected usage rates in September.

Perhaps we should attribute our high demand for SRE-WSC water this year to the vastly improved water quality and reliability, after our significant capital improvements? Certainly, it is a far greater pleasure to hydrate our plants with water that does not kill it from excess salt, or fill our pools with water that does not leave a yellow crust on the tile.

We can all appreciate the difference, qualitatively, but for those of you who like quantitative comparisons, our Total Dissolved Solids was analyzed at 2150 mg/L in 2007, and plummeted to 398 mg/L in June 2009. Our sulfate concentration was detected at 1280 mg/L in 2007 and dropped to 68.0 mg/L in 2009. Our total hardness (as CaCO3) was analyzed at 1280 mg/L in 2006 and decreased to 323 mg/L in 2009. The improvement in water quality is remarkable and undeniable.

In addition, our water supply remains viable during power outages, with the reliability provided by our emergency generator. Our emergency generator has already provided peace of mind during a few minor outages this year, and additional outages are likely on the horizon with the promise of a wet El Niño year.

Our improved water quality and reliability came with a price tag of $80,000, which will be paid off over the next 7 years with our monthly water fees. Members of the Skyline Ranch Estates Water Supply Corporation pay for the ability to turn a tap in the house and have access to a priceless resource: clean and reliable water in times of drought and plenty.

Just as a final reminder, the full text of the Drought Contingency Plan is available on the Skyline Ranch Estates website. The Stage 2 Drought Response is included in this article, for your convenience. Changes promulgated during our Board meeting on September 8, 2009 include a specific restriction against filling or refilling drained (i.e., empty) pools, and specifying that monthly consumption in excess of 20,000 gallons may be subject to flow restriction.

Thank you for your conservation efforts and good stewardship of our shared groundwater resource. If you have any questions or if I may provide additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me by calling (512) 847-9045.

1. Continue conservation activities recommended in Stage 1 Response.
2. Irrigation of landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems shall be limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address or post office box number ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, or 8), and Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with an address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9). Irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to the hours of 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 am and between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on designated watering days. However, irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at anytime if it is by means of a hand-held hose equipped with positive shutoff, soaker hose, drip irrigation system, faucet-filled bucket or watering can of five (5) gallons or less.
3. Use of soaker hoses for foundation protection shall be limited to designated water days and times.
4. Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. and between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a bucket or hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff. If possible, use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
5. Use of water to fill or refill drained pools is prohibited. Topping off of existing pools for essential maintenance purposes is permitted only during designated watering days between the hours of 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m., and between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
6. Use of water to fill, refill, or add to any wading pools or Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. and between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
7. Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.
8. Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to fire fighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety, and welfare.
9. The following nonessential uses of water are prohibited:
   1. use of water to wash down any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas;
   2. use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
   3. use of water for dust control;
   4. flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street;
   5. failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak(s).