en.Wedoany.com Reported - Pflugerville, Texas, has lifted the Stage 3 water restrictions implemented since early March and shifted to modified Stage 1 conservation measures. A pipeline rupture had previously interrupted the water supply to Lake Pflugerville, the city's primary water source, but the lake level has now recovered to the target elevation of 633 feet.
Under the new rules effective May 1, residents are allowed handheld watering on designated days, including using hoses with shut-off nozzles, buckets, or watering cans. This represents a moderate relaxation compared to the strict Stage 3 restrictions, which only permitted indoor water use. However, automatic irrigation systems and washing of outdoor surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, and patios remain prohibited; homeowners may wash vehicles during specified hours.
Residents are permitted to fish from the shore and most piers, and the public swimming pool will be open for swimming, but recreational splash pads remain closed. The city stated that swimming and recreational boating will remain suspended until the lake level reaches 634 feet to ensure safe boat ramp operation and safer swimming conditions. The updated protocol is expected to last at least until mid-June to allow for the completion of repairs to the existing raw water pipeline and the construction of a second raw water pipeline.
During the most stringent period of water restrictions, the city limited daily water usage to 4 million gallons. The modified Stage 1 measures raise the target threshold to 8 million gallons (8 MGD). Although average daily water usage exceeded 4 million gallons during parts of March and April, the lake level still reached the 633-foot threshold required to lift restrictions. In late March, Lake Pflugerville rose approximately one foot every five to six days, but the rate of rise slowed as the lake surface area increased; the city noted, "This means that raising the lake level from 630 feet to 631 feet requires significantly more water than raising it from 629 feet to 630 feet."
Regarding repair work, the city is completing repairs to the existing 30-inch raw water pipeline. The pipeline was damaged during the parallel construction of a new 42-inch second raw water pipeline, with multiple ruptures preventing water flow into Lake Pflugerville. The city has installed a temporary bypass pipe on the existing pipeline to continue pumping water from the Colorado River into the lake. In a statement to Water Daily, the city said the initial rupture was immediately repaired by the contractor, but a fourth rupture occurred deep in a nearby creek, making it difficult to locate, assess, and repair. The city constructed the bypass pipe using a phased approach to restore water flow, with the final phase involving replacing the ruptured section under the creek and removing the bypass pipe.
The second water pipeline is scheduled to be operational this summer. After Memorial Day, a nearby pump station will be closed for two weeks to complete final connections and install a new raw water pump. The city is coordinating with partners to address risks hindering the project, including improving pipeline locating efforts to better protect the existing raw water pipeline and requiring contractors to provide detailed plans to ensure the project stays on schedule. The city stated that if no further complications arise, repairs to the existing 30-inch raw water pipeline will be completed during the installation of the second pipeline, at which point the 42-inch second pipeline will double the available water capacity for utility customers.
The Austin area, where Pflugerville is located, is the fastest-growing metropolitan region in Texas, with the city's population increasing by 134% between 2000 and 2023. The city stated that water is a precious resource in Texas and that care should always be taken not to overuse it.
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