Jul 17, 2023
Other Georgetown water customers may return to one-day-per-week watering until further notice
Due to excessive irrigation, water supply challenges, and severe drought conditions, customers in the western side of the City of Georgetown’s service area – generally the areas west of D.B. Wood Road and southwest of Williams Drive – will remain in Stage 3 restrictions through Sept. 4. Watering with an irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler is prohibited during Drought Stage 3.
Customers not in the affected area may return to Stage 2 restrictions, which allow for one-day-per-week outdoor watering. Strict compliance to the one-day schedule is required to avoid additional restrictions.
Georgetown water customers can review the map below to determine which restrictions apply to them. If it is not clear from the map whether you are in Stage 2 or 3, please continue to halt all outdoor water use. We are working on an interactive map that should be up shortly.
Georgetown water customers that remain in Stage 3 restrictions include but are not limited to residents and businesses:
- Southwest of Williams Drive
- West of D.B. Wood Road
- West of SW Bypass
- Parkside
- Santa Rita
- Liberty Hill ETJ
- Parmer Ranch
- Water Oak
“We did not make this decision lightly,” said Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder. “We know Georgetown water customers take pride in their homes, and not being allowed to water our lawns is far from ideal. However, having safe drinking water for our customers must take priority over pristine, green lawns. We are taking this step to ensure we can continue to provide safe drinking water, at least until temperatures cool down.”
All City splashpads will be closed for the rest of the season, and City facility irrigation systems not using reclaimed water will remain off. City-maintained pools will remain open, as water use is minimal and must be done to maintain operations and sanitation.
Several, predominately regional factors contributed to the City’s decision to keep 35 percent of its customers in Stage 3 restrictions:
- The level of Stillhouse Hollow Lake is lower than it has been in 33 years, and Lake Georgetown is approaching 2011 drought levels.
- The U.S. Drought Monitor moved Georgetown into a Severe Drought July 13.
- Central Texas continues to see record-high, sustained temperatures.
- The City is not receiving the full contracted amount from the City of Leander, which is one of the primary sources of water for the affected area. The City is working closely with our partners in Leander and in other areas to identify additional sources of treated water, but it is not likely Leander will be able to provide the contracted amount this summer.
- The Southside Water Treatment Plant that also serves this area is offline for rehabilitation. Current estimates have the plant returning to full capacity in October 2023.
- The three pump stations servicing the affected area are unable to keep up with demand, and there are no alternatives to get more water to those pump stations for distribution. If pump stations cannot maintain pressure, it could lead to boil water notices.
- Water use across the City’s system has exceeded 95 percent of our treatment capacity multiple days the past two weeks. During the summer months, 75 percent of the water produced each day by water treatment plants is used for lawn and landscape irrigation.
“A combination of cascading challenges – within our system and regionally – have left us with few options to ensure we maintain safe drinking water for all our customers,” said Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery. “If any one of those conditions were to improve, we could look at lifting the restrictions, but for now, everyone must adhere to the watering restrictions in place, so we don’t have to take them further.”
Find more information on rebates, programming your controller how-to videos, and information on our water system at water.georgetown.org.
| STAGE 2 RESTRICTIONS | STAGE 3 RESTRICTIONS |
| One-day-per-week outdoor watering based on your address | No outdoor watering with irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler |
| No watering on Monday | No splash pad or ornamental fountain operation (all City splash pads will remain closed) |
| No watering any day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. | No washing vehicles at home |
| No commercial patio misters allowed outside of 4 p.m.- 8p.m. | |
| No installation of sod or turf grass | |
| Cannot fill outdoor spas or hot tubs; pools, including City-maintained pools, are allowed to will remain open, as water use is minimal |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hand-held watering allowed during these restrictions?
Yes, hand-held watering is allowed at any time during both Stage 2 and Stage 3 restrictions.
Will we roll the schedule to allow Friday-Sunday customers to water next week?
Since this is an isolated issue for the west side of our service area, we will not be changing the watering schedule.
Will we fine residents who were out of town and unable to change their irrigation during the temporary restrictions?
Please email conservationservices@georgetown.org with your address and concern. If possible and approved by the property owner, the City can turn off water to the irrigation system.
How much water is Leander supposed to give us?
Georgetown’s contract with the City of Leander is for 3 million gallons of treated water per day. Earlier this summer, we have been receiving between 800,000 and 2 million gallons; however, as of July 13, we have been receiving fewer than 300,000 gallons.
What about golf courses and car washes?
All six golf courses in Georgetown and Southwestern University use reclaimed water, as do some City maintained outdoor facilities, such as soccer fields. Sun City also uses reclaimed water for their communal facilities, in addition to their golf course. Car washes also recycle their water.
Why is the City continuing to approve new development when we can’t serve our current residents?
Cities are limited in what we can do to restrict growth, predominately because it’s a property rights issue. When developers/landowners submit a plan for their property, it goes through our development and permitting process. If they can meet our development rules, they are entitled to develop their property. We are in the process of updating our development rules to match the vision we adopted in the 2030 Plan. Find out more about the 2030 plan here.
Enacting a moratorium will do little to stop the development you see now. The developments you see coming online today were vested to their rights 3-5 years ago. It takes about a year for a development agreement to be negotiated with the City; a year to design and permit; and a year to construct infrastructure before the first house in a new subdivision ever receives water from us.
The developments being negotiated today will pay impact fees, which will help fund the $200 million, 44 million gallon-a-day Southlake Water Treatment Plant. Half of this plant is scheduled to come online in 2025. The Northlake Water Treatment Plant expansion of 8 million gallons per day should come online in the next two months. Learn more about water capital improvement projects here.
Additionally, we have enough treated drinking water for our customers’ daily, domestic uses (i.e., drinking water, showers, toilets, etc.). We only run into capacity issues during the summer months, when the vast majority of our water is used to irrigate lawns. That is why we ask for communitywide participation in conservation efforts, particularly in the summer. Conservation is easy, and something everyone can do.
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Stage 3 water restrictions in effect for western portion of Georgetown water service area – City of Georgetown Texas - City of Georgetown Texas
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