Round Rock enacts new conservation strategies

“We’re just making a few tweaks here and there to help further our reputation as a water-wise community,” Director of Planning and Development Services Bradley Dushkin said.

The set up

City data shows Round Rock’s water usage increases in April each year. However, the city has implemented several conservation initiatives that are already resulting in lower water usage. Data shows that summer 2024 usage was lower than the year prior.

In 2023, the city launched an education campaign to encourage residents to reduce watering to two days per week year-round, joining a roster of programs. These include a rebate on rain barrels and native plant boxes, expanded access to its reuse system, and adjusted landscaping requirements.

The reuse system, also known as purple pipe, connects recycled water to irrigation and cooling systems to reduce potable water use.

Public Works Director Michael Thane said the city sources its potable water from multiple places to allow for planning and less stringent restrictions in times of drought.

“There’s advantages there because we can adjust how we pull that water for our community,” Thane said.

Round Rock sources the majority of its drinking water from the Brazos River Authority, and also pulls from the Lower Colorado River Authority and some city-owned ground wells.

BRA Chief Operations Officer Brad Brunett said the agency is expecting a “normal” year for its reservoirs, which were sitting a few feet below “full” in March. At the time, he said he did not anticipate substantial restrictions this summer.

However, when it comes to LCRA, Executive Vice President of Water John Hofmann told Community Impact via email that reservoirs were sitting at about 50% capacity in March due to lower precipitation.

Round Rock has installed 5,450 feet of pipelines for reuse water in the last five years, with plans to install 10,000 more feet in the next two years. Known as “purple pipe,” these lines distribute recycled wastewater for landscape irrigation and other nonpotable uses.

• Step 1: Wastewater is flushed in Round Rock homes and transported through wastewater lines to the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Step 2: At the wastewater treatment plant, wastewater is treated to meet Texas Commission on Environmental Quality standards. Some of this water is diverted to the city’s reuse pipeline.
• Step 3: Existing purple pipelines transport reclaimed water to different parts of the city using the recently expanded pipe system.
• Step 4: Reuse water customers can irrigate golf courses and landscaping, and tap into the system for other nonpotable water sources at a flat rate.

The city has another proposition for residents: purchase a $77.50 rain barrel to water lawns and plants, with a 40% discount bringing the price to about $52.

The program generates no profit for the city, Thane said, although the city has increased funds budgeted for resident rebates.

The barrels are for sale through a vendor partnership in the spring and fall, he said. The city also has Go N Grow plant boxes for purchase at the same time. This year, the city offered the option of an edible garden and native mix of plants.

The barrels are just one of the city’s six rebate programs available to encourage water-reducing measures, such as water efficient appliances, smart irrigation systems and water flow sensors.

“If we can do that, that’s going to keep our future costs down, which at the end of the day helps keep our rates some of the lowest around,” Thane said.

The city also launched a conservation newsletter, which residents can sign up for at www.roundrocktexas.gov, and is participating in a nationwide study about water use on residential properties. Round Rock is one of 45 cities participating in the study, and input from residents will inform future conservation efforts and infrastructure planning.

What they’re saying

Thane said city staff have held educational outreach events with local landscapers; municipal utility districts, which are wholesale water clients of the city; and homeowners associations to balance the desire for good aesthetics and conservation.

As a landscaper who serves clients all over the greater Round Rock and Georgetown area, David Jackson said the watering restrictions of the past few years have been difficult for his clients.

Another difficulty, he said, are requirements for the number of trees to be located in the front yard.

As of February, Round Rock’s guidelines for new developments reduce the number of required trees to one for smaller residential lots, and limit turf grass to no more than 50% of pervious surfaces.

In February, city officials approved a new ordinance guiding landscaping standards for new commercial and residential developments.

Under these new standards:

• Turf grass cannot be planted in narrow spaces between sidewalks and streets;
• Shrubs planted to screen parking lots and ground-level utilities must now be evergreen and no shorter than 2 feet tall at planting;
• Minimum soil depth for turf grass is increased from 4 inches to 6 inches;
• Trees required for residential lots 69 feet wide and under decreased from two to one.

Thane said the city will continue efforts to ensure resiliency in its water supply for drought years, and encourage conservation measures to ensure longevity of resources.

The reuse water system is being installed as part of several transportation projects like the recently extended Kenney Fort Boulevard, which included purple pipe.

The Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority is also constructing a deep water intake project. The raw water pipeline will allow partner cities to draw water from Lake Travis at lower levels during drought.