Frisco City Council members were presented with a detailed overview of the suggested changes to the city’s Water Management Plan during a work session meeting.
One of the key changes includes transitioning from a variable sprinkler schedule dependent on weather to a consistent schedule dependent on seasons. In summer, watering would take place twice per week, while in fall and spring, it would be reduced to once per week. Winter would prohibit irrigation watering altogether.
For AP Environmental Science teacher, Jamie Berendt, the updated water management plan sets an expectation and prevents citizens from constantly watering plants.
“I think that Frisco’s decision to implement a consistent schedule is important and beneficial since it sets an expectation for a specific amount of watering,” Berendt said. “If left unregulated, people would water at any time and it would get out of control.”
To promote compliance, the plan also seeks to raise enforcement fees. The city of Frisco’s expanding population, rising water use, and weather-related issues including the ongoing drought and unusually high temperatures are the driving forces behind these modifications. Despite rising consumption, the goal is to efficiently manage water use in the residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors.
As a city facing a growing population and an impending drought, Berendt believes the new plan will help conserve water.
“With the population growth and impending drought in Frisco, water conservation is necessary,” Berendt said. “A regulated watering schedule is a proactive step, especially in a dry state like ours.”
To complete and submit the revised plan for approval by several regulatory agencies by May 1st, the City Council will deliberate on it in more detail. The public is invited to provide input from April 9-12; modifications may be made in response to the comments received.
According to Public Works Director Gabe Johnson, the Public Works Department is willing to adapt the deadline to guarantee thorough consideration of public concerns.
“If we run into a bind, or we get a significant comment that changes something substantial, we could do a request to push [the May 1 deadline] back to help address the questions that came up from the public,” Johnson said.
