Austin is moving back to baseline Conservation Stage watering rules after heavy July rains replenished Lakes Buchanan and Travis to 94% capacity. City Manager T.C. Broadnax and Austin Water Director Shay Ralls Roalson announced the change, which takes effect September 2, following more than a year under Stage 2 drought restrictions.
The Lower Colorado River Authority projects lake storage will remain above 1.4 million acre-feet for at least four months, triggering the shift under Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan.
Under Conservation Stage rules, automatic irrigation systems remain limited to one day per week, before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Hose-end sprinklers and drip irrigation are allowed two days per week on the same schedule, while hand watering and tree bubblers are permitted at any time. Other measures, such as restaurants serving water only on request and efficiency requirements for commercial irrigation, cooling towers and car washes, also remain in place.
Austin Water says conservation will continue to be a priority despite the improved supply outlook. “Austin’s water supply is a shared resource, and the responsibility to preserve it extends to every member of our community,” Roalson said.
