Brazos River Authority enters drought watch for Lake Georgetown
City of Georgetown water customers: No watering in heat of day
City of Georgetown water utility customers should not water lawns or landscapes during the heat of the day, from noon to 7 p.m. effective immediately. This prohibition reflects the City entering Phase I of its drought contingency plan, which is in response to the Brazos River Authority entering Stage 1 Drought Watch for Lake Georgetown.
In addition, Georgetown water utility customers need to follow the two-day watering schedule and refrain from watering their lawns on Mondays. The year-round, two-day per week irrigation schedule is based on the last digit of the street address. Click here to view watering schedule.
“We are asking customers to take this additional step in conservation out of an abundance of caution, out of respect to the BRA’s warning, and so we can be good stewards of this shared, limited resource,” Water Utility Director Chelsea Solomon said. “Meeting the community’s demand for water is going to be more challenging than ever this summer, when we use 75 percent of our treated water trying to keep our lawns green during the hottest months. We are working to bring additional treatment capacity online, but the first won’t be operational until next year at the earliest. We need everyone’s help this summer, so we can continue to provide treated water to all the homes and businesses in our more than 400-square-mile service area.”
Irrigation is not permitted on Mondays, because they are a maintenance and recovery day for the water system. The two-day schedule spreads watering over six days each week in order to balance demand on the water system. Watering with a hand-held hose or bucket can be done any day and at any time. Other outdoor water uses like washing a vehicle or filling a swimming pool, can be done any day at any time.
Violations of the irrigation schedule and watering during the heat of the day may result in fines.
Lake Georgetown is in Stage 1 Drought Watch due to drier-than-normal conditions in portions of the Brazos River basin and drought trigger levels set by the BRA’s Drought Contingency Plan. As of March 23, Lake Georgetown was at 76 percent of full capacity, according to the authority. Williamson County is also in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s March 18 update. Practicing wise water use now will help to ensure adequate water supply during the hotter summer months.
During the summer months, 75 percent of the drinking water treated each day in the city is used to irrigate lawns and landscapes. Following the City’s two-day watering schedule and adjusting irrigation run times can help save water and still maintain a healthy lawn.
The best time for watering your lawn and landscape is on your watering day in the early morning hours after midnight. This allows the water to soak into the soil and reach the roots of your grass and plants. Watering during the heat of the day, especially between noon and 7 p.m., should be avoided since much of the water sprayed from sprinklers will evaporate and is wasted.
For help setting your irrigation controller, call customer care at 512-930-3640.
While the City is not running out of water, conservation during the hottest and driest parts of the year help ensure our shared resource is available for all who need it. The City also has several ongoing water utility expansion projects to help meet the needs of our growing population. This includes the expansion of the North Lake Water Treatment Plant, which is expected to be completed in summer 2023, and the construction of a South Lake Water Treatment Plant, which should be operational in 2025.
Click here for more information on the Drought Contingency Plan.
