Austin Water Utility officials didn’t promise any miracles during a briefing on the city’s drought response and water supply at last week’s Austin Water Oversight Committee meeting. As of Aug. 14, the city was in exceptional drought conditions that pushed the community into Stage 2 water restrictions. Assistant Director Kevin Critendon said that while he […]
Austin Water Utility
AWU is the municipal utility that provides water service for the City of Austin.
Posted inWater
Austin announces new water restrictions on everything from lawns to dining out
With water levels continuing to drop in the Highland Lakes reservoirs that supply Austin, the city announced Stage 2 water restrictions to take effect Tuesday. Even if you don’t have a lawn or don’t bother watering the lawn you have, you could notice the new rules affecting daily life in Austin. Here are some of […]
Posted inBudget
Austin Water and Watershed Protection Department seeking small rate hikes
Neither Austin Water nor the Watershed Protection Department have asked for an increase in their rates in many years, but both are doing so in the upcoming budget. Austin Water has not asked for an increase in its rates since 2017, but this year, the utility is seeking City Council approval to increase the typical […]
Posted inWater
As drought worsens, Austin Water ramps up conservation protocols
Despite an unusually rainy spring, Austinites should hold off celebrating any end to the statewide dry spell. Austin Water staff joined City Council’s Austin Water Oversight Committee last week to discuss the ongoing crisis, confirming that the city is still on track to meet the Stage 2 drought threshold by the end of the year. […]
Posted inPlanning
1,200 housing units planned near Lakeline, pending zoning change
The Planning Commission on May 23 recommended allowing up to 1,200 housing units on the last 30 acres of undeveloped land in the 446-acre Leander Rehabilitation planned unit development, instead of office and commercial space as had previously been planned. The request would increase the total number of housing units allowed in the whole development […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water says it’s doing better in the face of crises
At Wednesday’s joint meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee and the Austin Water Oversight Committee, Austin Water Director Shay Ralls Roalson answered questions about a variety of topics, but one of the most difficult involved vacancies within the department, particularly at water treatment plants. The focus of the meeting was the utility’s actions […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water to discuss progress on improvement plan today
In the wake of five troubling incidents between 2018 and 2022, which led the former director of Austin Water to resign, the utility’s current leaders have been working to complete changes intended to prevent future service disruptions, such as boil-water notices. Of the city’s three water treatment plants – Ullrich, Handcox and Davis – Ullrich […]
Posted inEnvironment
Hundreds of fish found dead in Shoal Creek after waterline break
Update: Austin’s Watershed Protection Department told KUT in an email Friday that staff have found about 300 dead fish now. “Last night’s storm pushed debris in the creek, along with the fish, toward an inlet where staff were able to see the full extent of the spill impact,” the email said. The department said crews […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water making progress but needs more employees
Members of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee have reviewed the findings of a report detailing problems during four significant events at Austin Water’s Ullrich Water Treatment Plant between 2018 and February 2022, including three boil-water notices and a zebra mussel infestation. The utility has addressed many of those problems and is in the process […]
Posted inWater
UT report offers ‘roadmap’ for changes at Austin Water
In the wake of five incidents between 2018 and 2022 related to water quality problems, including three boil-water notices and a zebra mussel invasion, Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros resigned and City Council asked the city auditor to identify a group to study problems at the utility and report back. City Auditor Corrie Stokes led the […]
Posted inResources
Austin is giving away free winter prep kits this week
Austin’s utility companies and Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will distribute free winter-weather supply kits this week at customer service centers. The kits include water meter keys, styrofoam hose covers, hand-crank flashlights, first-aid supplies and winter weather tip sheets. Austin Water’s public information manager, Ginny Guerrero, said there are hundreds of kits available […]
Posted inCity Hall
Austin Water, which has issued three boil-water notices in four years, gets a new leader
Lee esta historia en español. City Manager Spencer Cronk has chosen Shay Ralls Roalson to be the next director of Austin Water. Roalson, the first woman to hold the role, will replace the former leader of the city-owned water utility who resigned in February after an error at a treatment facility forced Austin residents to […]