MCLENDON-CHISHOLM, Texas — It happened in 2022, 2023 and now 2024. Residents in the City of McLendon-Chisholm have a freeze on all lawn irrigation.
“It’s kind of annoying when you see other people with their water sprinklers on and you’re like: Is it your day?” said Kimberly Humphrey.
Last year, Humphrey said water restrictions were a burden. “My neighbor had to get water from our pond out front. She’s got a lot of livestock. It was really hard carrying water up from the pond feeding her animals,” said Humphrey.
What is behind this year’s restriction? The city gets its water from RCH Water Supply Corp and RCH gets its water from the City of Rockwall. RCH said their contract with Rockwall allows 2.1 million gallons of water a day. However, on Wednesday, water usage hit 2.7 million. That is 600,000 gallons over the allotted amount. As a result, RCH implemented Stage 2 of water limitation earlier this month.
McLendon-Chisholm Mayor Bryan McNeal urged residents to follow the restrictions. “The ask is to not water after midnight so that it gives the tanks time to replenish from midnight to 8 a.m.,” said McNeal. “Hand watering is allowed in stage two.”
However, McNeal said residents don’t always follow the restrictions. “People are pulling water out. It’s not able to replenish,” said McNeal.
He said it is also a challenge as more people move to the area. “Definitely density is a huge part of it. You know when you have more people coming, that’s more water being used; however, there is enough water to facilitate that when you look at the winter months,” said McNeal.
There is also the concern for more development; however, McNeal said there are three water providers for the city. Some of those developers do not get supply from RCH. Those that do, were already under previous agreements. “RCH is not issuing will-serve letters. If they’re not issuing a will-serve letter, then the city is not going to allow a construction on a new request to take place. We cannot stop legally what’s already been approved,” said McNeal.
The mayor said RCH has been approved to cut out the middleman, which would be Rockwall in this case. Instead, RCH will be able to go directly to the water source, North Texas Municipal Water District. “They’re on the fast track to have 13.1 million gallons of water coming into RCH,” said McNeal.
That number is six times more water, which McNeal believes is a win for residents and RCH. “It puts them in a position for future growth. It also puts them in a position to be able to wholesale water to other companies that might need it as well because you don’t want to increase the rate of the customer because of water that didn’t get used,” said McNeal. “It would be the best thing ever. We would not be having these conversations in 2026.”
It is also a solution that Humphrey supports. “That would be awesome not having to depend on them would be great. Bring us some water,” said Humphrey.
RCH told WFAA the contract with North Texas Municipal Water District includes building 5.5 miles of line and a pump station. The hope is for the project to be finished by summer 2025.
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