Is Georgetown running out of water?
No. But the City does promote water conservation. Georgetown’s current water supply comes from ground water as well as surface water in Lake Georgetown and in Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The untreated water from Stillhouse Hollow is pumped through a pipeline. The current projection in the Water Master Plan, given population growth, is that these water sources will meet demand through 2052. With additional conservation measures, our water sources can meet demand through 2057. Acquiring additional water resources could extend the timeline even further.
The City uses a just-in-time approach to building new water infrastructure to meet demand. Our goal is to deliver new water treatment, distribution, and supply capacity only when it is needed so that customers pay for capital expenses only when necessary.
The City also promotes water conservation to reduce our overall consumption to meet the needs of future residents and extend our current water supply through 2057. To accomplish this, we need to reduce water use by 20 percent. Meeting that goal involves limits on irrigation, promoting drought-tolerant grasses, and reducing the irrigated lawn area for new homes.
For most households, the single biggest step you can take is to follow the two-day per week watering schedule. To see your schedule, click here. Another step you can take is to reduce the run times on your irrigation system. Shaving a few minutes off each zone can save a significant amount of water. And your lawn will still be getting enough to stay healthy. If you need help adjusting your controller, contact Customer Care at (512) 930-3640 or customercare@georgetown.org.
While the City will continue to invest in our water utility infrastructure to meet the demands of our growing population, we all have a role to play. Each of us can adjust our water use habits and take steps to reduce our overall demand. This long-term issue is one that we can solve together to ensure we have the water we need for our future.
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