AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several Central Texas areas will soon be limited to outdoor watering no more than once a week, according to a news release from the Lower Colorado River Authority.
The new restriction comes due to “serious drought” in Central Texas, according to LCRA.
“We don’t know when this drought will end, and we need to cut discretionary water use to help protect and extend our water supplies,” LCRA Executive Vice President of Water John Hoffman said in the release.
Any community that gets water from LCRA has to reduce outdoor watering by May 1, the release said. Most cities impacted by this restriction are already on a once-a-week restriction. This change will impact the following communities:
- Briarcliff
- Cottonwood Shores
- Horseshoe Bay
- Lago Vista
- Pflugerville
- Sunrise Beach Village
- West Travis County PUA
Those communities are currently following different watering guidelines.
The restriction also applies to lakeside property owners immediately who have contracts with LCRA to draw water directly from the Highland Lakes, the release said.
The LCRA board unanimously adopted the restriction during its monthly meeting in Austin.
According to LCRA studies, moving from twice-a-week to once-a-week watering “can reduce annual water use by about 7%-12%.”
The once-a-week watering schedule “will remain in effect until the combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis increases to at least 1.1 million acre-feet, or about 55% of capacity.”
Those customers who do not adopt the new watering schedule could face penalties up to $10,000 a day from LCRA, the release said.
Hoffman said residents should consider planting drought-tolerant vegetation that can “withstand Texas summers with minimal watering.” Additionally, he said residents and businesses should also keep the once-a-week watering schedule in mind while planning landscaping.