The voluntary ban on watering lawns and washing cars has been lifted, Vicksburg Mayor Robert Walker said Monday.

A combination of high demand for water during this summer’s drought and repairs at the city’s water treatment plant that cut capacity prompted the call for conservation in early August.

With recent rains and the completion of repairs to the water plant’s softening unit, the emergency has passed, Walker said.

“We want to thank the citizens who made the sacrifice of letting their lawns go,” he said. But he reminded residents that conservation was still a good way to keep water bills low.

Another leftover decree from the summer drought, the outdoor burn ban, is still in effect for both the city and county.

Even with recent showers, annual rainfall is still well below average this year, Vicksburg Fire Chief Kevin Westbrook said. Vicksburg and Warren County remain under burn bans.