It’s been a dry year, and extra water restrictions are now in place for the town of Mancos.

The restrictions were announced July 13, and on Wednesday night, the Town Board voted to keep them in place. The restrictions are necessary to meet rising water needs in Mancos, staff said.

In June, the board approved a series of water restrictions, but the water use has risen significantly since then — from 400,000 gallons per day to 500,000 gallons per day, according to Town Administrator Heather Alvarez.

The rising demand and a desire to maintain the town’s stored water supply at Jackson Lake means that additional restrictions are necessary, staff said. Currently, the town’s water is being drawn from the Mancos River, according to a staff report by Terry Jennings, the town’s public works director.

The new rules stipulate that outdoor water use will only be allowed from 6-10 a.m. and 6-10 p.m. Properties with addresses ending in an even number will water only on dates ending in an even number, and vice versa. Gardens and new lawns are exempted.

The board voted to keep the restrictions implemented July 13, although there was some discussion about night hours, with Mayor Queenie Barz wanting to open up the watering time range to allow for residents to water at set times in the night.

But other board members and staff said that people might not have timers in place on their irrigation systems, and might forget to turn off sprinklers in the evening. They agreed to revisit the hours in the future and to table a discussion on possible permanent watering restrictions.

ealvero@the-journal.com