Following low rainfall this summer, water levels in Lake Georgetown currently stand at 776 feet — a 14 foot drop below its full capacity. This puts the lake just 6 feet away from levels that automatically trigger Stage 1 restrictions in the City of Round Rock. City officials are currently monitoring water demand, drought conditions and the weather forecast to ensure preventative steps can be taken to mitigate water loss if conditions worsen.
In addition to rain dancing, we ask that you help us get through this dry season by fine-tuning your watering habits. Outdoor watering of landscaping is the City’s highest use of water in the summer months, often up to 60 percent of our total water use!
Here are five things you can do as a homeowner to water smarter (and keep your water bill in check – an added bonus!):
1. Water deeply and no more than twice per week to allow the plant roots to grow deep and strong. Watering too many times per week results in shallow roots, encourages weeds and makes your grass less drought-tolerant. Check out Round Rock’s suggested outdoor watering schedule, which helps the City balance water consumption needs for all customers:
2. Remember to water early in the morning when winds are calmer and temperatures are lower. Avoid watering your landscape too late in the evening to prevent disease and decay from occurring overnight.
3. Don’t increase watering in areas that don’t need it. There are sections of your landscape that don’t typically need extra water, even in August:
- Landscape beds
- Shaded grass under live oaks
- Sides of the house – by some estimates, about one-fifth of summer irrigation water is spent watering side yards, AC condensers, tool sheds and garbage cans!
- Drip lines (Remember: drip delivers a week’s worth of water directly to the roots in a single cycle; no need to run these more than once per week)
4. Maintain, maintain, maintain. Cracks in irrigation pipes can lead to costly leaks, and broken sprinkler heads can waste water and money. If you’ve been meaning to take a deeper look at your system for these problems, it’s not too late.
5. Pay attention to signs of overwatering. If you have any pesky cockroaches, pillbugs, mllipedes and fire ants sneaking into your house, you could be overwatering! Other signs include dollarweed and fungi, such as mushrooms.
Did you know? City of Round Rock’s Water Conservation staff provides free consultations to direct City of Round Rock water customers. Contact Jessica Woods at 512-671-2872 or email jwoods@roundrocktexas.gov for more information.
