Austin, Texas moved from a three-year Conservation Stage to a Stage 1 watering restriction on June 6, 2022.
Moving to Stage One restrictions was triggered by the low water levels in Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan. They are currently at 1.409 million acre-feet this morning and are projected to drop below 1.4 million acre-feet within the next few days.
What the Restrictions Mean
The only significant change from Conservation Stage to Stage 1 is the reduction of automatic irrigation watering hours. Stage One Watering Restrictions reduce the total number of hours available for watering via automatic irrigation systems from 15 hours to 13 hours, which is midnight – 8am and 7pm – midnight.
Previous watering restrictions under Conservation Stage, remain unchanged, including:
- A once-a-week automatic irrigation watering schedule for residents and businesses: Wednesday for odd-numbered home addresses, Thursday for even home addresses, Tuesday for even business addresses, Friday for odd business addresses.
- A twice-a-week hose-end irrigation watering schedule for residents: Thursday and Sunday for homes with even addresses, Wednesday and Saturday for homes with odd addresses.
- Once-a-week hose-end sprinklers for businesses: Tuesday for even addresses and Friday for odd addresses.
Residents can continue the following irrigation methods without restrictions:
- athletic fields
- drip irrigation
- hand-held watering with a hose
- watering trees with automatic bubblers
- automatic drip irrigation
- soaker hose beneath the tree canopy and in vegetable gardens
Commercial car washes can operate normally. Residential car washes, and the washing of any outdoor surface, is permitted with a bucket and/or automatic shut-off nozzle.
Commercial customers will continue to limit the use of patio misters to the hours between 4pm and midnight.
Austin Water has posted a summary of Stage 1 watering restrictions.
What You Can Do!
Austin Water hopes that the move to Stage 1 will encourage residents to ensure that their water usage is as efficient as possible. The maintenance and repair of sprinkler systems is key to outdoor water conservation. Homeowners should routinely:
- Check the timers on their sprinkler system.
- Look for leaks.
- Make sure the water is hitting the grass, not driveways, sidewalks, patios, or other paved areas.
- Water only in the early morning or late evening hours when temperatures are coolest to help reduce unnecessary water loss through evaporation.
Having your irrigation system professionally inspected and maintained is one of the most effective actions you can take to both conserve water and support a healthy landscape.
Residential Watering Schedule
Find out more about your residential watering schedule in or near Austin, including Lakeway, Kyle, San Marcos, Canyon Lake, Anderson Mill, Jollyville, Cedar Park, Brushy Creek, Leander, Shady Hollow, Wells Branch and more.
How Long Will Stage 1 Restrictions Last?
The LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) makes predictions on water supply and water storage. Right now, the LCRA states that depending on rainfall totals and conservation efforts, a move to the stricter Stage 2 guidelines does not look likely this summer.
According to World-Weather the temperatures near Austin will stably remain in the 90s until September, where the temperature will lower to the high 80s. In October you will see that temperatures still remain in the high 80s but slightly drop into the high 70s. In November and December, you will see the temperatures fall into the low 70s and 60s.
South Central Texas Drought briefing is available from the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio Texas.
South Austin Irrigation, LLC specializes in irrigation and sprinkler repair, including system restorations, alterations to existing systems, field wiring problems, valve replacements and backflow replacement and installation.
Contact us online or call (512) 534-7449 for service in the Austin, Texas area.
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