Water Restrictions
EFFECTIVE AUGUST 12, 2025 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
The Town of Pantego is under ⚠️water restrictions⚠️. Although we encourage conservation in all ways, the primary focus at this stage is to regulate outdoor watering. Each service address will be allowed to irrigate only once weekly.
[ STAGE 2 ] WATER WARNING
▪️ Residential addresses ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) may water on Saturdays
▪️ Residential addresses ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) may water on Sundays
▪️ All non-residential locations or buildings without a specific address number (apartment complexes, businesses, industries, parks, medians, etc.) may water on Wednesdays
Exception:
☑ Foundations may be watered for up to two hours on any day using a handheld hose, soaker hose, or drip irrigation system placed within 24 inches of the foundation that does not produce a spray of water above the ground.
Why is this necessary?
The well at 303 was taken offline to evaluate recurring mechanical issues. On August 12, staff received approval from the state to proceed with repairs and anticipate having this asset back online by mid-September.
Stage 1 Restrictions went into effect on July 30, 2025, and were escalated to Stage 2 on August 12. During Stage 1, usage exceeded 90% of production on 12 of the 13 days. On seven of those days, usage outpaced replenishment despite the pumps running 17 to 20 hours a day. For comparison, they typically run for 12 to 15 hours, allowing the equipment to rest and the aquifer to recharge.
While the timing is less than ideal, we do urge each of you to adhere to the once-weekly watering schedule and to conserve in any other way possible. We do not want any issues to arise, so we must ensure compliance. A move to Stage 3 would not allow for any outdoor irrigation.
The overall age of our water infrastructure and increasing demand during summer are the reasons for the new well and storage tank at the Miller site. It was the hope of staff and Council that it would be online before we had any significant asset failures. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working diligently to get this resolved.
Standing Irrigation Regulations
Year-round regulations within the Town of Pantego's Water Resource Management Plan (adopted via Ordinance 11-652) apply to all locations — regardless of zoning — and are enforced by a system of warnings and fines for unaddressed or otherwise repeated violations.
Watering during the heat of the day can result in more than half of the water being lost to evaporation. Watering during the early morning is optimal as it minimizes evaporation and is less likely than late-night watering to allow for fungal growth.
Did you know? Our highest water use each summer is usually around 4:00 a.m. Thank you for doing your part to efficiently use our most valuable natural resource by watering during the early morning. Want to do more? Keep scrolling to learn about rainwater harvesting, cycle and soak irrigation, and Texas SmartScape™ practices. Or, download our Gardener's Guide (PDF).
Optimize Your Irrigation System
The average American family uses 320 gallons of water a day — about 30% of which is devoted to outdoor uses. Nationwide, this adds up to nearly 9 billion gallons per day. It is estimated that as much as 50% of water used for irrigation is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or runoff. Simple changes can save water and money:
Are you following all of the regulations in the Town of Pantego's Water Management Plan? If not, you could be fined.
Clay-based soils, often found in our region, have a much slower absorption rate. Water applied past the first six minutes of a cycle usually becomes runoff. The cycle and soak method recommends running sprinkler zones for about five minutes each and then allowing about thirty minutes for the water to absorb into the ground before cycling again. Not only can this method help you to get the most value from the water used on your lawn, but it also encourages plants to grow deeper roots, increasing hardiness.
Not sure how many cycles to run? About an hour after watering, push a long screwdriver into the soil. An area has been adequately watered if the probe easily slides to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Scroll down to view plants that do well in Pantego or download our Gardener's Guide (PDF).
Rainwater Harvesting
On average, North American tap water has 18 to 41 mg of salts per liter. Because salinity levels are higher in this portion of the state and the region has more clay soils, which hold salt better, gardeners should aim to use rainwater whenever possible and choose plants that are more resistant to salt. Rainwater harvesting and the use of more salt-tolerant plants are two methods for becoming a successful gardener in Pantego. Scroll down to view plants that do well in Pantego or download our Gardener's Guide (PDF).
Rainwater harvesting is an innovative approach to capturing free water that is free of salts and other minerals that can harm root growth. As rainwater percolates into the soil, it forces salts down and away from root zones, allowing roots to grow better and making plants more drought-tolerant. A house with a 1,000-square-foot roof could "harvest" 600 gallons of rainwater from a one-inch rainfall.
Capturing, diverting, and storing rainwater for later use in the home landscape saves you money by reducing your water bills, reducing demand on the municipal water supply, making efficient use of a valuable resource, and reducing flooding, erosion, and contamination of surface water with sediments, fertilizers, and pesticides in rainfall run-off.
Helpful Links
Recommended Plantings for Pantego
Trees
Vines and Ground Cover
Annuals
Shrubs
Perennials
Herbs
Salt-Intolerant (Not Recommended) Plants