Austin (Texas) is restricting car washing and charity washes. The latter may only be held at commercial car washes, where the scarce water can be recycled.

Large parts of the northern hemisphere are currently suffering from extreme heat. In Europe, the situation is especially dire in countries like Spain and Italy. But the USA also sees record high temperatures. One of the states that has been hit hard by the heat and drought is Texas.

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The city of Austin is currently in Stage 1 Drought Water Use Restrictions, which has a water use reduction goal of 5%. Austin has three water treatment plants, which draw from the Colorado River.

To conserve water, the city is asking residents to only water their plans during nighttime and at the most twice a week. Washing cars at home is permitted with an auto shut-off hose or bucket, while charity car washes may only be held at a commercial car wash.

More remarkable is the rule that restaurants may only serve water when it’s requested by a customer.

Also read: 

• Wasserschmidt introduces new sludge-separation system at Autotechnica
• World Water Day: Istobal calls for responsible water use
• This is how a car wash can work on climate targets