From the cover
Drought conditions strain Georgetown’s water resources
Current situation
Two-minute impact
from Leander; however, Leander hasn’t been able to provide the full amount of water due to its own drought problems. Additionally, the Southside Water Treatment Plant is offline for rehabilitation and won’t return to full capacity until October, and the three pump stations that also serve the area have not been able to keep up with demand, Georgetown Communications Manager Keith Hutchinson said. The city is building a new water treatment plant on Lake Georgetown that will more than double the water utility’s treatment capacity by 2026.
Georgetown receives water from several sources, including surface water from lakes Georgetown, Stillhouse Hollow and Travis as well as groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer. The city also has an agreement to receive 3 million gallons of water per day from both Leander and Round Rock. While most city water customers are under Stage 2 restrictions, the western portion of Georgetown’s service area—defined as west of DB Wood Road and southwest of Williams Drive—moved to Stage 3 restrictions in mid-July. Georgetown’s west side relies heavily on the water contracted
and Stillhouse Hollow Lake, are similarly low. “Given how long our [rainfall] deficits go back and how significant they are, we’ll continue to see drought impacts through the end of this year, almost guaranteed,” National Weather Service meteorologist Keith White said. “The good news about the El Niño, though, is that it will tilt our odds toward wetter conditions by the time we get into the winter time. So we can hopefully start to make up some of those deficits in December, January and February of next winter.”
Central Texas was hit with a double threat this summer: record-breaking high heat and little rainfall. The region has seen temperatures over 100 degrees nearly every day since July 8, causing increased evaporation of local water reservoirs, dried-out soil and increased wildfire risk. Lakes Travis and Buchanan collectively dipped to 44% capacity in August, the lowest they’ve been since 2013, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. Other regional water sources, including the Edwards Aquifer, Lake Georgetown
Exceptional drought —or Level D4 drought—is the most intense drought category on the U.S. drought monitor
195
East of DB Wood Road and northeast of Williams Drive
West of DB Wood Road and southwest of Williams Drive
and occurs when the region experiences 98% dryness.
183
Williamson County
35
Georgetown drought contingency plan
Exceptional drought (D4)
Stage
Description
Travis County
100% of Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are in exceptional drought 422,679 Williamson County residents are in drought areas 2nd driest July on record in 129 years in Williamson County
1 • Outdoor watering is allowed twice a week on designated days before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. 2 • Outdoor watering is allowed once a week on designated days. • Filling pools is only allowed to maintain the water purification system or structural integrity of the pool. • Car washing is only allowed if using a bucket or hose that can be easily turned off. 3 • No outdoor watering with an irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler. • All city splash pads are closed. City pools remain open. • Installation of sod or turf grass is prohibited. • Outdoor pools, spas and hot tubs cannot be filled.
130 TOLL
71
290
Hays County
35
N
SOURCE: U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR/COMMUNITY IMPACT *AS OF SEPT. 7
4 • All nonessential uses of water are prohibited.
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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