*(CNN) — Faced with extreme, fast-spreading drought and blistering heat, Houston public officials announced Wednesday that outdoor water restrictions are now mandatory across the city as water pressure drops.
The city will enter the second stage of its drought contingency plan on Sunday, August 27, Houston officials said in a press release. According to the plan, mandatory water conservation measures must be put in place “when the significant drop in annual rainfall and higher-than-normal daily temperatures lead to continued stress on the water system.”
Outdoor water use will now be restricted to two days per week between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., city officials said. Any water customer who violates the watering times will be issued a written warning for a first-time violation. Subsequent violations are subject to a fine of up to $2,000 for each occurrence, said the news release.
“The intense heat combined with a significant drop in annual rainfall have dried up the soil. People are using more water, resulting in more water leaks which can impact water pressures,” Houston Public Works posted on X, formerly called Twitter, on Wednesday.
The measure comes after public works officials reported “seeing an increase in reports of lower water pressure across the city.”
“Houston Public Works asks the public to please do your part in helping us reduce citywide water use,” said Carol Haddock, the department’s director. “Our goal is to reduce water usage from all customers by 10%. Our crews are working diligently in conjunction with area contractors to repair water leaks across the city.”
Houston has been experiencing its hottest summer to date with records dating back more than 130 years. At the same time, the city is also facing one of the driest summers on record, marking a nearly 7-inch rainfall deficit since June 1.
As temperatures soared this summer, the drought spread rapidly across Texas. Six weeks ago, just 1% of the state was in extreme drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. As of Thursday’s update, extreme drought had spread across a third of the state.
Harris County, home to Houston, went from no drought at the end of June to 100% extreme drought as of this week. According to the latest drought monitor, the dry spell has already taken a toll on the agricultural sector. As soil moisture declines, vegetation dries up and surface and groundwater conditions are depleted across much of the region.
Recent rain from Tropical Storm Harold has not yet been accounted for in Thursday’s Drought Monitor update, which was finalized on Tuesday.
Climate scientists have said that heat and drought are inextricably linked, and both are exacerbated by the climate crisis. Heat worsens the drought, which then amps up the heat. As temperatures surged to triple digits this summer, the heat squeezed out what little moisture was left in the ground.
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