White Oak Begins Rationing Water

WHITE OAK — Mandatory water conservation crept this week into Gregg County, with one city placing controls on irrigation and recreational water use. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. White Oak’s City Council has moved the town to Stage II drought contingency, with strict instructions on outdoor watering, motor vehicle washing and new hours for its splash pad at City Park. City Coordinator Charlie Smith said customers are using between 2 million and 2.7 million gallons of water a day, and the city wants to avoid reaching its daily capacity of about 3.3 million gallons. White Oak treats raw water from Big Sandy Creek and purchases treated water from the city of Longview.

Water department customers with account numbers ending in an even number can water their lawns from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sundays and Thursdays. Customers with accounts ending in odd numbers can water during those hours Saturdays and Wednesdays, Smith said. Hand-held irrigation is allowed, but car and boat washing is prohibited. Local car washes are exempted from the order, Smith said. Meanwhile, White Oak’s splash pad will close beginning Monday for four days a week. It will open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at normal operating hours — 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. — until conservation measures are lifted, Smith said. All scheduled parties booked at the splash pad will be honored, he said.