Our region is experiencing severe to extreme drought, and we are just months away from the scorching heat of summer. One major flood can restore water supplies, but there is no guarantee that it will rain. What if we could all do more with less water and preserve our water supply for longer by habitually changing the way we use water? The situation may seem dire, but if you change your perspective, it's possible to thrive with less water.
Central Texas has historically suffered from droughts with intermittent flooding, but the current lack of rainfall is causing water levels in lakes and aquifers to drop, which is of particular concern to many. . Water is an increasingly popular topic, but one that water professionals manage and plan for every day of the year, regardless of weather patterns. Water is often underestimated but essential to life, so carefully managing its quality and availability is an important and difficult task. It's also a job that is constantly evolving as technology advances, leading to better analysis of data and public buy-in on the need to protect it.
Water is a rare element in that it cannot be produced, and while there is as much water on Earth today as there was in ancient times, how much is available depends on where it is in the water cycle. It will be decided. For human use. In an ideal world, nature would be given enough time to filter our water and properly distribute it around the world. However, locally, population growth and lifestyle choices inconsistent with changing climate conditions and natural runoff can lead to supply shortages. .
The Lakeway Municipal Utility District and many other water utilities in the region are in the process of revising their drought contingency plans. This plan sets forth strategies that water suppliers will develop and implement to monitor and respond to droughts and other temporary water shortages that may significantly disrupt the supply of water to customers. All retail public water suppliers, like Lakeway MUD, are required to have an emergency response plan and submit updates to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality every five years.
Lakeway MUD's plans are based on standards set by the Lower Colorado River Authority, as the Lower Colorado River Authority is our wholesale water supplier. We have a hard water customer agreement with his LCRA that specifies how much water we are allowed to pump from Lake Travis. Watering limits in our Drought Contingency Plan are adjusted based on established “trigger levels” tied to the combined storage levels of Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis, the Highland Lake System's two water supply reservoirs. will be done. One such update includes amendments to mandates established by LCRA at its Feb. 21 board meeting requiring commercial water customers to adopt watering restrictions that limit irrigation of ornamental landscapes to: and the adoption of amendments to the contingency plan requiring implementation. Once a week, whenever the combined water storage of Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis is less than 900,000 acre-feet. A final plan update he expects to be submitted to TCEQ by May 1st.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that, on average, 30% to 60% of household water is used to irrigate lawns. Therefore, we are seeing an emerging trend towards minimizing the amount of non-functional grasses that make up traditional landscaping in homes in our area and choosing more beneficial options such as native and adapted plants. . Regulations will be gradually adapted. For example, last year's Lakeway City Council recommended that construction and development include the use of unified water management, described as “an integrated approach to managing water that includes landscaping that includes desirable plants and lush landscaping.” Several ordinances related to the service were approved. Infrastructure approaches to stormwater capture and management and gray water systems. ” Many other municipalities have adopted similar measures, including select lists of preferred and prohibited plants.
Non-potable water is the preferred option for landscape irrigation, including water harvested from air conditioner condensate, rainwater, stormwater runoff, and recycled water. Potable water (tap water) is treated to drinking water standards and is required for human consumption, but not for garden irrigation. According to the Texas Water Development Commission, an efficient rainwater collection system can capture approximately 1,000 gallons for every inch of rain that falls on a 2,000 square foot roof. According to the National Weather Service, total annual rainfall in the Austin area averages about 35.5 inches, which means 35,500 gallons are collected annually for home irrigation.
After periods of drought and plenty, we are now at a time when drinking water is considered essential for public health and, to a lesser extent, useful for irrigation. Water utilities aim to ensure that communities have clean water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and other services that support the economy. Homeowners can shift their perspective and view landscaped areas as having the potential for functional beauty that has a positive impact on the environment, but water is a finite resource, so I know I need to use it.
Written by Stephanie Threinen, Lakeway Public Facilities District Public Information Officer. Earl Foster is the general manager of LMUD.
