Extreme heat is pushing Heath's daily water consumption dangerously close to the trigger for Stage 2 conservation, which would cut lawn irrigation from twice a week to once, the city warned Thursday, Aug. 20.
Heath remains in Stage 1 for now, but the city's community water usage update made clear the margin is thin. Under Stage 2, the water system would need the reduced demand to replenish storage tanks used for daily supply and firefighting reserves.
The city did not specify an exact usage threshold or a deadline for the decision, saying only that residents have the next few weeks to bring consumption down collectively or face the tighter limits.
What residents need to do
Heath's irrigation schedule assigns homes to color-coded zones. Under Stage 1, the Yellow Zone waters Tuesdays and Saturdays; the Pink Zone waters Wednesdays and Sundays. If Stage 2 takes effect, each zone would lose one of those two days.
The City of Heath posted on X on Tuesday, Aug. 18, that water demand had reached its peak and was pushing usage thresholds, urging residents to follow the conservation schedule and save water wherever possible around their homes.
Why the system is strained
Heath's water supply comes through a wholesale purchase agreement with the City of Rockwall, approved in April 2026, that provides 6 to 7 million gallons per day during summer months. Mayor Jeremiah McClure praised the deal at the April 14 council meeting, noting a plan to scale supply to 9 million gallons per day over five years.
Long-term relief is under construction. The city's $41.5 million Water Bridge Plan includes a 1.5-million-gallon elevated storage tank on Governors Boulevard, a 3-million-gallon ground storage tank at the city's pump station in Rockwall, and six potable water wells each capable of producing up to 1 million gallons per day.
But none of that new capacity is online yet. As of the July 28 council meeting, the elevated tank's design was complete with a May 2027 target for completion, and the first well at Towne Center Park had been drilled but was still awaiting permanent equipment.
Residents can check their watering zone and schedule at heathtx.com/water-wise.
