texas Archives - South Austin Irrigation

In the early morning of Monday, October 22nd, Austin Water Utility issued a boil water notice for the entire system. This was the first time it ever had to do so in over 100 years of operation.

The runoff from the massive flooding in the Central Texas area had increased the level of silt, debris, and mud to such high degree that Austin’s three water plants (Handcox, Davis, and Ullrich) had to slow down their treatment process. Austin was consuming more water than the treatment plants could provide under those conditions. However, because it is important to keep a certain amount of pressure in the system for fire hoses and for contamination protection (soil, microorganisms, and water can flow into the system under lower pressure), Austin Water Utility allowed the distribution of water that didn’t meet its high standards.

Austin Water also issued emergency water restrictions on October 22nd in the afternoon, forbidding all outdoor water use. This was followed later in the day with a request that residents reduce their water consumption by 15 to 20 percent.

Some businesses suffered financially because of the boil water notice and emergency restrictions. Car washes, spas, salons, and businesses in the food service industry, such as restaurants and coffee shops, were among those affected.

On Sunday, October 28th, Austin Water lifted the boil water notice after the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed that Austin’s water met all safety and water pressure standards.

However, some of the emergency water-use restrictions remain in place as precautions until the treatment plants stabilize, and to ensure that customer demands are met. Although these restrictions will be changing to lessen their impact on affected businesses, they currently include:

No outdoor irrigation
No adding water to residential or other non-commercial pools or spas (updated on November 7th)
No operation of ornamental fountains
No at-home pressure washing, vehicle or surface washing

In addition, the following city facilities and parks remain closed:

Bartholomew Pool
Springwoods Pool
Red Bud Isle and Red Bud Trail
Butler/Liz Carpenter fountains
Walsh Boat Landing
Boating concessions
Water fountains throughout park system

All city creeks are now open.

Austin Water stated that water bills will not be prorated for the boil water notice period.

On Monday, October 29th, some water restrictions were lifted. The following are now allowed (from Austin Water):

Washing of vehicles at a commercial car wash compliant with City Code 6-4-10 (B)
Operation of irrigation systems for the purpose of testing or repair by a licensed irrigation professional
Conducting pressure washing using commercial equipment in compliance with City Code 6-4-11 (B)
Adding water to commercial pools and spas (updated November 7th)

Austin Water states that it’s unnecessary to flush your pipes because water circulated in the system during the boil water notice and continued to circulate in pipes when water was used in homes for laundry, showers, and boiling. As well, Austin Water states it’s unnecessary to flush water from washing machines, showers, outdoor faucets, irrigation systems, or hot water heaters. If you do choose to flush, it’s recommended to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines of flushing for two minutes, which conserves water.

It’s recommended to discard at least one quart of water from your refrigerator water dispenser. Also empty any ice from automatic ice makers, and discard any new ice made during the following 24 hours.

Austin Health has requirements for food enterprises regarding flushing pipes and ice machines. These follow CDC guidelines that you can also use at home (http://www.austintexas.gov/article/food-establishment-flushing-procedure-following-lifting-city-austin-boil-water-notice).

Austin Water recommends that medical and dental offices should contact Austin Public Health for guidance for their specific situations.

Austin Public Health is requiring that food enterprises flush all their water lines to eliminate any possibility of unsafe or contaminated water. This includes lines directly connected to coffee machines, ice machines, and any other food preparation equipment.

Here is a list of communities (wholesale customers) serviced by Austin Water that also had boil water notices lifted:

City of Rollingwood
City of Sunset Valley
Creedmor-Maha WSC
High Valley WSC
Marsha WSC
Mid-Tex Utility
Morningside Subdivision
Nighthawk WSC
Northtown MUD
North Austin MUD
Rivercrest Water System
Travis County WCID #10
Wells Branch MUD
Windermere Utility

Not all MUDs or communities serviced by Austin Water are currently allowing the operation of irrigation systems for the purpose of testing or repair by a licensed irrigation professional, nor are they allowing the washing of vehicles, including at commercial car wash facilities. Contact the specific MUD or community for their current emergency restrictions.

The West Travis County PUA (Public Utility Authority) also issued its boil water notice on Monday, October 22nd, and ended it on Saturday, October 27th. The following areas were affected:

Travis County MUD 11
Travis County MUD 12
Travis County MUD 13
Travis County MUD 18
Headwaters at Barton Creek
Lazy 9 MUD 1A
Lazy 9 MUD 1B
Crystal Mountain Water Supply

West Travis County PUA customers are still in stage 4 emergency water restrictions.

Areas which weren’t under a boil water notice:

City of Round Rock
City of Pflugerville
City of Cedar Park
City of Kyle
Hurst Creek MUD (serves the Village of the Hills in Lakeway area)
Barton Creek Lakeside in Spicewood
Brushy Creek MUD
Water Control and Improvement District 17 (includes Steiner Ranch, Hudson Bend, North Lakeway, and Serene Hills)
Cypress Ranch Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 (Spicewood communities of West Cypress Hills and Sola Vista)

For further updates on restrictions please check the Austin Water website: http://www.austintexas.gov/boilH2O, http://www.austintexas.gov/department/watering-restrictions

It’s no secret that in the drought-plagued State of Texas water conservation is taken very seriously and any waste of such a precious resource is heavily frowned upon by government and citizens alike.

Some municipalities such as Austin not only impose strict watering rules, but also offer incentives for water conservation. Austin has a residential and commercial rebate program for such investments as irrigation system upgrades, pressure regulating valves, watering timers and other devices intended to improve the efficient use of water.

The Texas Administrative Code (TAC) has very specific rules concerning landscape irrigation systems. These rules include such things as:

minimum standards for design and installation
rules concerning maintenance, alteration, repair or service of irrigation systems
the use of reclaimed water
water conservation requirements

Many municipalities also have their own regulations governing irrigation systems and some of those are more stringent than the state requirements.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is considering making changes to the requirements for reduced pressure backflow preventers for irrigation systems.

Just what is a “reduced pressure backflow preventer”? Well, according to the Encarta World English Dictionary, backflow is “the flowing back of something toward the source”. It is any unwanted reversal of the flow of liquids in a piping system. Backflow can occur if the pressure in the upstream (the supply end) is reduced. Backflow can also occur when a vacuum is created in the upstream; the water is literally sucked back up the system. In cases where the health hazards exist in the downstream, these contaminants can backflow into the clean water supply. Simply put, a reduced pressure backflow preventer is a device that protects potable water by preventing contaminated water from flowing into the clean water supply.

Those irrigation systems that the TCEQ identifies as being “high health hazards” are required to have reduced pressure backflow preventers. Presently, there are only a few circumstances under which an irrigation system can be identified as presenting a high health hazard:

irrigation systems that are connected to a potable water system and to which a chemical is added by aspiration, injection, or emission
irrigation systems that are connected to more than one water source
irrigation systems that are installed on a property served by an on-site sewage facility

The current TCEQ rules also say that any hazardous systems, as currently defined, must meet certain criteria:

all irrigation piping and valves must meet separation distances from the on-site sewing facilities system
any connections using a private or public potable water source must be connected to that water source through a reduced pressure backflow prevention assembly
the irrigation system must be controlled on separate irrigation zones to prevent excess water from compromising the effective operation of the on-site sewage facilities

Details of the current TAC Section 344.51 can be found here: http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=30&pt=1&ch=344&rl=51

There may be changes to the rules regarding using reduced pressure backflow preventers in irrigation systems.

In August 2017, the Texas Irrigation Association’s Irrigator Advisory Council (a nine-member advisory panel consisting of six licensed irrigators and three persons from the public sector, appointed by the TCEQ) submitted a petition to the TCEQ recommending changes to 30 TAC Section 344. Among the recommendations is a proposal “to make all irrigation systems classified as health hazards”. In response, the TCEQ conducted state-wide stakeholder meetings and issued questionnaires to garner additional information on the subject.

That means that ANY irrigation system must include a reduced pressure backflow preventer.

Feedback to the TCEQ on the recommended changes to the regulations has been mixed. Some agree that all irrigation systems are a high health hazard and some do not. Some have expressed objections about the costs for installation and for testing and enforcement and some consider that the cost involved is outweighed by the public benefit. Others are concerned with freezing. Some wondered if any new requirements will be grandfathered. Some find the appearance of the reduced pressure backflow preventers to be objectionable.

TCEQ members are presently reviewing the data and the feedback on the proposed changes and will make recommendations to the TCEQ Commissioners in the fall of this year. The Commissioners will make the decision to accept, reject, or modify the terms of the petition.

The final outcome of the proposed changes is uncertain as yet, but we will keep you posted on developments as they occur.

To keep your irrigation system running at peak efficiency, call South Austin Irrigation at (512) 534-7449.

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Update For Austin and Surrounding Areas
Boil Water Notice Lifted

Possible Changes to Requirements for Reduced Pressure Backflow Preventers

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