Texas Border Business
MISSION, Texas – Officials with Hidalgo County on Wednesday gathered more than 30 representatives of municipalities and water districts in an unprecedented effort to initiate a uniform drought contingency plan for the region.
The effort is aimed at developing uniform triggers among cities and water districts serving Hidalgo County so that residents begin to understand various drought conservation stages. Currently, each entity has its own triggers for conservation needs that often differ from entity to entity, leaving customers confused as to what should be done.
The initial plan is for all cities and water districts to adopt a single contingency plan that has the same triggers. Stage 1, for example, would mean that the entity has more than 100 percent water reserve capacity and customers may water their lawns, wash their cars and conduct other water-related activities normally.
As reserve capacities diminish during drought conditions, every water supplying entity in the county would have the same conservation triggers that tell the consumers the seriousness of the drought.
Cities and water districts will be left to their own discretion as to what the triggers would mean for consumers and how these measures would be enforced. This plan is part of a larger effort to create a regional water strategy that could help the county receive more state and federal funding for water management and infrastructure.
“This is a long-term issue,” Cortez said. “We need to develop a regional plan to address future water needs.”
The drought contingency plan that was initiated would become part of a five-year plan that is required by the state. Currently, each city and water district is responsible for filing its own drought contingency plan. But the aim is to be able to provide a regional drought contingency plan on behalf of all water supplying entities. Such a plan would be the basis for potentially more grant funding.
Each entity that was present at Wednesday’s meeting, held at the Mission Event Center, was asked to return to their respective city commissions or board of directors to seek approval for the uniform drought contingency plan.
The trigger stages under this plan are as follows:
| CONSERVATION STAGE | DROUGHT CONDITION | TRIGGER POINT |
| 1 | Mild | 100% |
| 2 | Moderate | 40% |
| 3 | Severe | 30% |
| 4 | Critical | 20% |
| 5 | Emergency | 15% |
| 6 | Water Allocation | By Emergency Order |
