What residents should know
On June 20, the West Travis County Public Utilities Agency set an outdoor watering schedule to spread use evenly throughout the week.
Residents and businesses may only water between 7 p.m.-10 a.m. on the following assigned days:
- Addresses ending in 0,1,2,3: Monday and Thursday
- Addresses ending in 4,5,6: Tuesday and Friday
- Addresses ending in 7,8,9: Wednesday and Saturday
- Commercial customers: Tuesday and Friday
- No watering is allowed on Sundays.
A full map of service areas can be found online.
Some context
The WTCPUA, along with several other area utility districts, follows the drought mitigation plans of the Lower Colorado River Authority, which monitors lake levels in the region.
In June, Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan reached a combined capacity of 56%—up from 42% capacity recorded on May 1, according to the LCRA.
If persistent drought causes the combined lake capacity to drop below 45%, the LCRA will mandate once-per-week watering once again, according to WTCPUA board member Jack Creveling.
"We expect to stay [in Stage 1] for the rest of the summer," Creveling said at a June 11 Bee Cave City Council meeting. "We did a lot better job this year communicating the restrictions, and I think it's paid off."
How to help
The WTCPUA recommends residents take the following steps to reduce water use:
- Landscape with drought-tolerant plants
- Add mulch to landscapes and compost to turf to help prevent water loss
- Cover swimming pools when not in use to reduce evaporation
- Reduce water waste inside the house by turning off water when not in use
