Photo by Jim Epperson The storage tank at the city's new waterwell will be online soon, once the well receives electricity and TCEQ approval. Bullard resident Derek Dyess has been watering his grass after 9 p.m. to follow water restrictions placed in city limits after Bullard officials had similar fears as Whitehouse.

The two cities are still under water restrictions after both realized water levels were low. Whitehouse has pursued drastic measures to conserve water while Bullard officials have taken steps to prevent the same fate.

Dyess, who owns D & D Landscape and Lawn Service, said the water restrictions are affecting a lot of people around the area. He said his company placed a $5,000 sod job in Whitehouse recently. However, now water restrictions are causing the sod to dry up.

"We're getting ready to sell our house on the market and I think it hurts the appearance to sell," Dyess said. "What do you do when your grass dies, do you till it up and start over?"

Dyess also said it would be better to water in the morning when the grass is dewy, which is about 5:30 a.m.

But city officials have said that peak times for water use are when residents are getting ready for work, which is from about 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.

City Manager Larry Morgan said he is hoping that the water restrictions will be lifted in two weeks, at the very least. A new water well near Peach Tree Oak Hurst Golf Course should be online and send pressurized water to the water tower.

Morgan said the new pump will give enough water to Bullard residents for the next five to 10 years, considering there is not an unprecedented growth spurt in Bullard.

What is happening right now is the three pumps that are online cannot pump enough water during peak periods, City utility director Mark Barker said.

"If we had a water main break or a big fire, we wouldn't have any water left."

But Morgan said water levels are a little higher, but the city is going to continue to take preventative measures until well six is online.

The well still needs electricity and the water will need to be tested by TCEQ. Morgan also said that the new well will have clearer water with less iron content because it is a deeper well.

But looking into the future, Morgan said water could be bought from a neighboring city like Tyler or Jacksonville.

"There are less overhead costs involved," he said.

But this approach concerns some residents like Dyess.

"Isn't that what happened to Whitehouse?" he asked.

The Tri-County Leader reported that Whitehouse commitment to water wells after renegotiating its water contract with the City of Tyler. After a review of its rate structure, Tyler initially presented the city with a new contract with dramatic increases.

"If we had signed the first agreement they put in front of us, it would have more than doubled the cost of water ... and locked us in for 40 years," Jed Dillingham, financial director told the Tri-County Leader.

Due to drought-like condtitions Bullard has implemented stage 2 water conservation procedure:

Resdients living in even numbered addresses are allowed to water on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Residents having odd numbered addresses are allowed to water Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

Times of watering are only 9 p.m. to midnight.