Thousands of residents in neighborhoods served by the West Travis County Public Utility Agency (WTCPUA) are now under Stage 2 watering restrictions, effective immediately.
In North Hays county, many neighborhoods east of the Dripping Springs city limit along the HWY 290 corridor, including Belterra, are within the WTCPUA district affected by the order.
Although lake levels remain above the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) Stage 2 criteria, the WTCPUA follows its own guidelines for implementing Stage 2 restrictions, based on water demand and the agency’s water production capacity.
“The [water storage] tanks are just not refilling fast enough due to the irrigation demand,” said WTCPUA spokeswoman Jenny Hoff. The agency had hoped the tanks would refill by Friday morning, but when they checked, water levels in the tanks were still dropping.
Hoff noted that recent high temperatures have exacerbated evaporation, and property owners are drawing more water to maintain their plants and lawns. Additionally, a construction crew working in the Falconhead subdivision last week accidentally struck a water line, further adding to the water loss.
Low levels in the district’s water tanks have resulted in low water pressure, with some residents experiencing little or no water pressure.
Stage 2 restrictions limit irrigation to once per week, between 6-10 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. Property owners are asked not to water overnight.
Residents should follow the watering schedule below for irrigation: Addresses ending in 1 & 3: Monday Addresses ending in 2 & 4: Tuesday Addresses ending in 5 & 7: Wednesday Addresses ending in 6 & 8: Thursday Addresses ending in 9 & 0: Friday Commercial properties and HOAs: Saturday Your watering schedule may differ depending on your location. For example, Belterra has a different schedule from the WTCPUA. Residents there should visit the WCID website (hays wcid.org) to confirm their designated watering day. Violations of irrigation restrictions are monitored by the WTCPUA and may result in fines.
The WTCPUA is governed by a board of directors. The board will continue to monitor water water use and tank recovery rates and updates or keep water restrictions as necessary. To learn more about the WTCPUA and to see the map and learn if you are in its service area visit: wtcpua.org.
