AUSTIN, Texas — A big question some city leaders have to ask this summer is whether residents should have drinking water or a nice lawn. Of course, drinking water is the only answer.
That's why at least four cities in the KVUE viewing area have increased water restrictions for infrastructure issues or drought impacts in the past few days.
The City of Georgetown was under a Stage 3 water restriction enacted on Friday, July 14. On Monday evening, leaders allowed an area of the city to drop to Stage 2, allowing outdoor watering once a week.
But the western part of Georgetown has to stay in Stage 3 water restrictions until Sept. 4. Those customers cannot do any outdoor watering. All city splash pads are closed for the season.
Over the weekend, the City of Blanco entered its highest level of water restriction, Stage 6. City leaders said their provider, Texas Water Company, barely kept up with demand, but a small pipe break led the water to stop pumping altogether. Industrial and commercial businesses in Blanco had to close for a couple of days, but City officials dropped restrictions down to Stage 5 on Monday evening. This allows some companies to gradually come back online, but residents still can't wash their cars or water their lawns.
Round Rock is currently asking its residents to voluntarily conserve water until Tuesday, July 18, due to a water main break. Leander is in Phase 3 of its water conservation measures, which limits outdoor watering.
Shannon Hamilton with the Central Texas Water Coalition said our area is on its way to seeing one of the driest summers on record.
"The amount of water we have flowing in is record lows, but we have record high temperatures, so due to evaporation and water usage, we are dropping every day," Hamilton said. "We are releasing more water than we have and this is all the water we have at this time. So we have to ration what we have, or it will get more strict going forward."
In November, voters will have the option to approve the Texas Water Fund. It would add language to the Texas Constitution to authorize a billion-dollar fund to develop new water supplies and improve aging water infrastructure. It's a measure nonprofit Texas 2036 is hoping will pass.
"We know that water is essential to life, and Texas runs on water," said Jeremy Mazur, Texas 2036 senior policy advisor. "If we don't have the water infrastructure that we need or the water supplies that we need for a growing developing state, then our future economic growth and development is in danger."
The City of Austin is under a Stage 1 water use restriction, but that has been the case since 2022.