Drought Contingency and Water Conservation

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City of Midlothian’s Adopted Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan for Retail/Wholesale Customers


In preparation of the upcoming summer months, the City of Midlothian encourages residents to continue practical water usage in an effort to reduce the likelihood of implementation of mandatory water conservation measures.

The Midlothian City Council passed Ordinance No. 2019-16 on April 9, 2019 which adopted a new Water Conservation/Drought Contingency Plan. The previous plan was developed utilizing the Trinity River Authority of Texas’ (TRA’s) trigger criteria for Joe Pool Lake, which at that time was the City’s primary water source. With the completion and operation of the new water treatment plant, the City now has a second water supply source through the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD).

This new plan was developed to adhere to both the TRA and TRWD drought response stages, while addressing the current Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirements for drought contingency and water conservation plans.

Click here to view the Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan.

The objectives of the Drought Contingency Plan are:



  • To protect and preserve public health, welfare, and safety.
  • To conserve the available water supply in times of drought and emergency.
  • To maintain supplies for domestic water use, sanitation, and fire protection.
  • To minimize the adverse impacts of water supply shortages.
  • To minimize the adverse impacts of emergency water supply conditions.

The objectives of the Water Conservation Plan are:



  • To reduce water consumption.
  • To reduce the loss and waste of water.
  • To improve efficiency in the use of water.
  • To document the level of recycling and reuse in the water supply.
  • To extend the life of current water supplies by reducing the rate of consumption.

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Based on the criteria adopted by TRA and TRWD, the current drought contingency triggers are as follows:



City of Midlothian - Surface Water Reservoir
Drought Contingency Triggers – Levels - Stages

Joe Pool Lake Tarrant Regional Water District
Lake Level (ft-msl) Reservoirs Level (% depleted of)
Storage Capacity

522 (normal pool) Current Lake Level  
  
Drought Stage 1 - 516 (mild water shortage condition) 25 (1 - water watch)
Drought Stage 2 - 511 (moderate water shortage condition) 40 (2 - water warning)
Drought Stage 3 - 501 (severe water shortage condition) 55 (3 – water emergency)