CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The city of Alice could soon be getting out of their Stage 2 water restrictions as soon as this weekend.
The Alice city manager Michael Esparza credits all of the rain the area has received for the news.
"These rains really helped us with 5 inches in Lake Corpus Christi, 5 inches at Lake Findley," said Esparza. "We'll be out of stage two probably by Sunday,"
This, as they continue work on bringing a new drought proof water supply by spring.
Recently, the city of Corpus Christi has been looking at possibly entering Stage 2 water restrictions.
That's because the trigger for restrictions for Corpus Christi is different from those in Alice.
While Corpus Christi looks at the combined lake levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon, Alice only focuses on Lake Corpus Christi which is currently their only water source.
The move to reverse Stage 2 for residents in Alice comes less than a month after it went into effect.
Currently residents are only allowed to water two days out of the week under Stage 2. Going back to Stage 1 will make those restrictions voluntary.
It is a hopeful sign but Esparza said they're staying vigilant.
"It seems like every year we are in Stage 2 and I don't see it getting any better," he said.
That is where the city is trying to get ahead of the game as they prepare for an additional source of water.
The construction just to the side of the water treatment plant will soon bring an additional drought proof water supply.
"We drilled down to the Jasper Aquifer, an ocean of water down there, it's a little salty now, desalination of brackish water is very different than sea water," Esparza said.
The Public Works Director for Utilities, Denetrio Duarte, is also excited for what the new water source will bring after seeing the effects from the drought.
Still, he said they're lucky.
"It happened at the right time, during the winter, when our water demands are low," Duarte said.
They hope to start blending the new water source by mid April in addition to still pulling from Lake Corpus Christi but Esparza said it wouldn't be as much.
"We'll be able to have both sources, we don't plan on letting go of this surface water. It's just going to give us security," Esparza said.
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