Town manager recommends ‘stay the course’ after first week of emergency water restrictions; council presses outreach

Town manager and public‑works staff recommended July 28 that Jackson “stay the course” with emergency water restrictions adopted July 21, after staff presented usage data showing overall system demand down but a concerning two‑week rise in Zone 3 that requires continued conservation and outreach.

Town staff presented daily and weekly flow charts and said the town has target average and peak flow goals — roughly 2,200 gallons per minute for average flow and about 2,400 gpm for peak — and that the period since restrictions showed improvement overall but several days in the red, notably a spike over a recent weekend. Staff said Zone 3 is particularly informative because it has no tank storage, making daily flows easier to interpret; Zones 1 and 2 include storage tanks that complicate direct day‑to‑day comparisons.

Town manager (identified in the meeting as Mr. Merrick) and public‑works staff said weekly averages show Zone 1 daily flow down about 8% and Zone 2 down about 28% from the prior week, while Zone 3 daily flow rose about 19% from the prior week — a 40% increase over two weeks. Staff said the July 21 emergency restrictions produced an immediate response from large landscape contractors and property managers, who were able to make rapid seasonal adjustments for many customers, contributing to early reductions. Staff warned that individual household behavior over weekends can still push the system into the red and that both large‑scale adjustments and broad individual compliance are necessary.

Council members asked detailed questions about when peaks occurred, how long peaks lasted and the role of irrigation contractors. Staff said a recent peak on July 27 occurred during the 12 a.m.–2 a.m. window and emphasized that the reporting measures the daily 24‑hour period for each date. Staff also reported operational changes made to hydraulically reconfigure zones — shrinking Zone 3 and expanding Zone 2 — to help manage capacity during the emergency; staff said those changes could be reversed after the emergency period.

Council members pressed staff on outreach plans. Staff said the town has e‑blast lists of roughly 4,000–4,500 addresses and will use social media, water‑bill inserts and partner communications (Chamber of Commerce) to push messages. Council members suggested additional tactics including a mailed postcard to all customers, targeted HOA outreach to prevent inconsistent messages (some HOAs had issued notices threatening fines for brown lawns), and clearer mapping so residents can identify whether they are in Zone 3.

Some councilors framed the water restrictions as part of a broader, long‑term challenge related to climate and growth. Council members said if the town treats the order as an emergency, communications should be urgent and frequent; staff acknowledged the point and said earlier messaging cadence could have been quicker after the July 21 adoption and that the town will increase outreach.

Staff’s recommendation at the July 28 meeting was to continue current emergency restrictions rather than escalate them at that time; council members unanimously approved moving forward with outreach and monitoring and asked staff to return with updated reports. Staff said development of a public outreach plan and closer coordination with landscape contractors, HOAs and large property owners will be part of ongoing work.