After a wonderfully wet spring, it seems strange to be closing in on drought restrictions, but we are. The high temperatures and lack of rain in August have brought us to the brink. When the Edwards Aquifer falls to 660 feet, Stage 1 drought restrictions go into effect.

If the current trend of weather and water use continues, we can expect to reach Stage 1 sometime after mid-September.

Under Stage 1, sprinkler irrigation is limited to one day a week, and that day is determined by the last number of your street address. Residences and businesses with an address ending in 0 and 1 irrigate on Mondays; 2 and 3 irrigate on Tuesdays; 4 and 5 do their sprinkling on Wednesdays; 6 and 7 have Thursdays; and addresses ending with 8 or 9 irrigate on Fridays. Sprinkler use is prohibited on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sometimes, water restrictions can be delayed or avoided. SAWS is implementing actions to reduce pumping from the aquifer, and homeowners can do their part, too, by practicing moderation in their water use for the rest of the year. Here are some lawn-watering pointers:

• If you're not already doing it, shift to once-a-week sprinkling of your lawn on your designated day. Lawns with 4 inches of soil under the grass will survive fine on weekly watering.

• For problem areas that dry out even when the rest of the lawn looks good, hand water that spot rather than running the sprinkler system on the entire lawn.

• Fix leaks or other malfunctions of your irrigation system. It is illegal to allow leaks to persist to the point that water runs down the street.

• Obey the ordinance that forbids sprinkler irrigation between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. This is the time when evaporation is greatest and winds are most likely.

• Alert friends and neighbors that they also should be water wise and obey water conservation ordinances. Call 704-SAWS for education and/or enforcement help from SAWS.

• Sign up to receive the weekly personalized Seasonal Irrigation Program recommendations for lawn watering at www.saws.org. Non-SAWS customers may also use the free service.

Calvin R. Finch is a horticulturist and director of special projects with San Antonio Water System. Contact him at Calvin.Finch@saws.org.