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Council adopts five‑year drought contingency plan to meet state renewal requirements
Summary
The council adopted a resolution renewing the city's drought contingency plan—as required every five years by state regulation—clarifying stages of restrictions and exemptions for commercial nurseries; staff will submit the adopted plan to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for renewal.
The City of Orange council on May 27 adopted a drought contingency plan required by state regulation for five‑year renewal.
Staff explained the plan's staged responses to water shortages: Stage 1 (mild, voluntary restrictions, 10% reduction goal), Stage 2 (moderate, mandatory restrictions, 15% reduction goal) and Stage 3 (severe, mandatory commercial restrictions, 25% goal). Staff said the city had not reached Stage 3 historically and noted that last year the city had been in Stage 2 because one well was out of service.
Staff recommended council approval so the city could submit the resolution to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for renewal. Council voted to approve the resolution. The staff presenter described limited modifications from prior versions, including exclusions for certain nurseries and landscaping businesses from some restrictions.
Staff said approval enables continued compliance with TCEQ requirements; the adopted plan establishes the city's triggers and reduction targets for voluntary and mandatory conservation stages and clarifies the roles of staff during a declared shortage.
