Photo by City of LakewayThe city of Lakeway enacted strict water regulations this week including a deferral of all landscape installation requirements and a moratorium on new swimming pool construction.
On May 19, Lakeway Mayor Dave DeOme issued an order deferring landscape requirements as required by the city's ordinances. The order specifically relieves residents of their required landscaping installation—sod or trees associated with new construction—while drought conditions exist. However, the city is requiring owners stabilize disturbed areas through other means in order to prevent erosion and silting.
When the order is lifted, the deferred projects will be given reasonable time to complete the required landscaping, City Manager Steve Jones said.
On May 20, DeOme also issued a moratorium on new swimming pool construction with a $2,000 per day fine for violations. Although city staff will continue to review and approve swimming pool construction plans, pool permits will not be issued until the city's water supply returns to normal conditions and the emergency order is lifted, according to a news release said.
The city used a report by state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon, which states that Texas will experience drought conditions until at least 2020 and, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority, Highland Lakes inflows during the past five years have been the lowest of any five-year period in recorded history.
"The city of Lakeway is taking a strong stance on conserving our water supply," Jones said. "As the declaration of a new drought of record is imminent, non-essential uses of limited potable water must be curbed."
At the time the Lakeway orders were issued lakes Travis and Buchanan were at 35 percent capacity of their combined storage of 713,851 acre feet, as reported by LCRA.
"It is time for cities to take action to address our area's rapidly diminishing water supply amid this prolonged drought," DeOme said.
Contact Lakeway Building and Development Services at 512-314-7540 for more information.
