Government
Local water leaders urge residents to conserve Lakeway residents were urged to conserve water during a presentation by the Central Texas Water Coalition—an organization focused on protecting the water supply in the Highland Lakes—at a City Council meeting March 18. How we got here CTWC Executive Director Shannon Hamilton said the inflow of water in Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are extremely low. The fourth lowest inflows on record were recorded in 2023, and so far in 2024, the lakes have only received about 18% of the historical average, she said. “People are entitled to water 12 hours once a week, but we don’t have to,” Hamilton said. “It’s time to start transitioning out of that, and that’s what I would encourage everyone to do.” This past summer, the Central Texas region was hit with record-breaking high heat and little rainfall.
City implements new communication tools Residents of West Lake Hills will have a new citywide communication system starting in mid-May, allowing for more choices to connect with city officials and higher city accountability. The city will switch from Blackboard Con- nect to CivicPlus for its mass notification and resident communications system, following action taken at the March 27 City Council meeting. The details One highlight of the new system includes the 311 Customer Relationship Manager, which stores all resident interactions with the city in one place to streamline city response. CivicPlus also offers a mass communica- tion service, including an emergency and non-emergency notification system.
Reducing usage The CTWC recommends Lakeway residents do the following to conserve water:
Reduce time spent watering lawns.
Plant native grasses and plants.
Don’t power wash.
Check for water leaks in and outside of the home
Invest in a cover for pools.
SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS WATER COALITION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Keep in mind Hamilton said that looking ahead, by 2080 an estimated 4.5 million people will be living in the area. With a population increase, water needs are only increasing. “People don’t seem to grasp this is real,” Hamilton said. “Our lakes are drying up.”
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