Brownsville PUB uses four drought stages that progressively increase water restrictions as regional supplies become more limited. These stages are tied to reservoir levels and system conditions in the Amistad and Falcon International Reservoirs.
Drought Stage 2Water Shortage Alert
Stage 2Combined U.S. Ownership
26.1%
880,709 ac-ft of 3,375,796 ac-ft
Amistad
30.2%
546,822 ac-ft
Falcon
21.4%
333,887 ac-ft
IBWC Weekly Report (05/09/2026)
Stage 1 – Voluntary Water Conservation
Voluntary water use restrictions
- Irrigate landscaped areas only from midnight–7 a.m. or 7 p.m.–midnight, twice per week.
- Irrigate landscaped areas with a hand-held garden hose, soaker hose, hand-held bucket/water can, hose-end sprinkler, irrigation system, computer-controlled irrigation system, or drip irrigation system to reduce waste.
- Reduce or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes (e.g., washing paved/hard-surfaced areas) except to alleviate public safety and/or health hazards.
Condition
- Active every May 1 as part of BPUB’s Drought Contingency Plan or when the U.S. share of water stored in Amistad & Falcon is 51% (1.66 million acre-feet).
Goal
- Achieve a voluntary reduction in water use on the Brownsville PUB system.
Stage 2 – Water Shortage Alert
Water use restrictions
- All restrictions from Stage 1 remain in effect unless added to or replaced by Stage 2 rules.
- Vehicle washing is allowed twice weekly on designated landscape watering days between midnight–10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.–midnight.
- Non-essential watering is prohibited (e.g., washing buildings, dust control, allowing water to run into streets).
- Lawn watering by a sprinkler system is restricted to two days per week (based on the last digit of the service address) and only from midnight–7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.–midnight (including pumping water from resacas).
- Variances must be acquired from the BPUB office to water new landscapes outside the schedule for four weeks.
| Last digit of service address | Watering days |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Monday, Saturday |
| 2 or 3 | Tuesday, Saturday |
| 4 or 5 | Wednesday, Saturday |
| 6 or 7 | Thursday, Sunday |
| 8 or 9 | Friday, Sunday |
To compensate for the end of daylight saving time, BPUB lists a temporary schedule:
- Car washing: 11:00 p.m.–9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
- Landscape irrigation: 11:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. This temporary schedule remains in effect until daylight saving time resumes in March.
Condition
- Active when the U.S. share of water stored in Amistad & Falcon is 25% (834,600 acre-feet), as reported by the TCEQ Rio Grande Watermaster.
Goal
- 5% reduction in average daily demand and 10% reduction in maximum daily demand on the Brownsville PUB system.
Stage 3 – Water Shortage Warning
Water use restrictions
- All restrictions from Stage 2 remain in effect unless added to or replaced by Stage 3 rules.
- Landscape irrigation (including irrigation systems, hose-end sprinklers, hand-held hose, soaker hose, hand-held bucket/water can up to 5 gallons, or drip irrigation) is limited to one time per week based on the last digit of the service address, from midnight–7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.–midnight.
- Residential car washing is allowed once per week on the Stage 2 designated landscape watering day between midnight–10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.–midnight.
- Fundraising car washes are prohibited.
- New landscaping plants may be watered twice weekly on the Stage 2 designated schedule with a Landscape Irrigation Variance submitted to the retail water supplier.
- Adding water to pools (except to maintain structural integrity) is prohibited.
- Hydrant use is limited to firefighting-related activities or other activities necessary to maintain public health and safety.
- Operation of outdoor ornamental fountains/ponds for aesthetic/scenic purposes is prohibited.
- Use of water from scenic/recreational ponds and lakes (resacas) is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life.
| Last digit of service address | Designated landscape watering day(s)* |
|---|---|
| 0 or 1 | Monday, Saturday |
| 2 or 3 | Tuesday, Saturday |
| 4 or 5 | Wednesday, Saturday |
| 6 or 7 | Thursday, Sunday |
| 8 or 9 | Friday, Sunday |
| *Stage 3 limits irrigation to one time per week (choose one of the designated days for your digit). |
Condition
- Active when the U.S. share of water stored in Amistad & Falcon reaches 15% (504,600 acre-feet).
Goal
- 10% reduction in average daily demand and 20% reduction in maximum daily demand on the Brownsville PUB system.
Stage 4 – Water Shortage Emergency
Water use restrictions
- All landscape watering is prohibited.
- Water use for construction purposes under special permits is prohibited, and new plantings of landscaping plants are prohibited.
- Washing motor vehicles/boats/trailers/airplanes/etc. is prohibited unless in the immediate interest of public health, safety, or welfare.
- Filling, refilling, or adding water to swimming pools and jacuzzi-type pools (even to maintenance level) is prohibited.
- Adding water to fountains/ponds to a maintenance level for aesthetic/scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life.
Condition
- Active if major line breaks or pump/system failures cause unprecedented loss of capability to provide water service, or if contamination occurs, or if there is a significant decrease/lack of water supply.
Goal
- Restrict water usage to allow the Brownsville PUB system to recover from emergency conditions.