Water Conservation

The City of Lampasas has adopted a Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan. The plan outlines regulations and restrictions that will help conserve the available water supply and protect the integrity of water supply facilities.

Public notification of initiation or termination of stages of the Drought Contingency and Water Conservation Plan will be made via this website, local media, social media and other means to ensure the public is informed.

Voluntary water conservation is advised at all times.

*The City of Lampasas is in Stage 1 of the Water Conservation Plan as of April 11, 2025.  Please read the information below for details.*

Stage 1 Response -- MILD Water Shortage Conditions

Target: Achieve a voluntary 5 percent reduction in total water use or daily water demand.

 Best Management Practices for Supply Management:

The City will manage limited water supplies and/or reduce water demand by increased leak detection and repair efforts and initiating public notification.

 Voluntary Water Use Restrictions for Reducing Demand:

(a) Water customers are requested to voluntarily limit the irrigation of landscaped areas to Mondays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Tuesdays and Fridays customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), and to irrigate landscapes only between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on designated watering days.

 (b) All operations of the City shall adhere to water use restrictions prescribed for Stage 1 of the Plan.

 (c) Water customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize or discontinue water use for non-essential purposes.

Stage 2 Response -- MODERATE Water Shortage Conditions

Target: Achieve a 10 percent reduction in total water use or daily water demand.

Best Management Practices for Supply Management:

The City will manage limited water supplies and/or reduce water demand by flushing of water mains only as needed, limit irrigation of parks to handheld hose or alternate water source, increase oversight of watering schedule and water waste, and public notification of Stage 2 Water Use Restrictions. The City will limit irrigation of athletic fields to locations and times designated by the City Manager as essential for maintaining public safety and welfare. 

 Water Use Restrictions for Demand Reduction:

Under threat of penalty for violation, the following water use restrictions shall apply to all persons:

 (a) Irrigation of landscaped areas and foundation watering shall be limited to Mondays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Tuesdays and Fridays for customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), and irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on designated watering days. Irrigation of residential landscaped areas with hose-end sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems is allowed; however, irrigation of commercial and industrial landscapes is limited to drip irrigation and handheld hose. Irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at any time if it is by means of a faucet filled bucket or watering can of five (5) gallons or less.

 (b) Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 10:00 a.m. and between 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight. Such washing, when allowed, shall be done with a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with a positive shutoff nozzle for quick rinses. Vehicle washing may be done at any time on the immediate premises of a commercial car wash or commercial service station. Further, such washing may be exempted from these regulations if the health, safety, and welfare of the public is contingent upon frequent vehicle cleansing, such as garbage trucks and vehicles used to transport food and perishables.

 (c) Use of water to fill, refill, or add to any indoor or outdoor swimming pools, wading pools, or Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited except on designated watering days between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 10:00 a.m. and between 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight.

 (d) Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

 (e) Use of water from hydrants shall be limited to firefighting, related activities, or other activities necessary to maintain public health, safety, and welfare, except that use of water from designated fire hydrants for construction purposes may be allowed under special permit from the City.

 (f) All restaurants are prohibited from serving water to patrons except upon request of the patron.

 (g) The following uses of water are defined as non-essential and are prohibited:

  1. Wash down of any sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hard-surfaced areas;
  2. Use of water to wash down buildings or structures for purposes other than immediate fire protection;
  3. Use of water for dust control;
  4. Flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street; and
  5. Failure to repair a controllable leak(s) within a reasonable period after having been given notice directing the repair of such leak(s).

Stage 3 Response -- SEVERE Water Shortage Conditions

 Target: Achieve a 20 percent reduction in total water use or daily water demand.

 Best Management Practices for Supply Management:

 The City will manage limited water supplies and/or reduce water demand by flushing of water mains only as needed, limit irrigation of parks to handheld hose or alternate water source, increase enforcement of watering schedule and water waste, and public notification of Stage 3 Water Use Restrictions. The City will limit irrigation of athletic fields to locations and times designated by the City Manager as essential for
maintaining public safety and welfare.

 Water Use Restrictions for Demand Reduction:

All requirements of Stage 2 shall remain in effect during Stage 3 except:

(a) Irrigation of landscaped areas and foundation watering shall be limited to Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Tuesdays for customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), and irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on designated watering days. Irrigation of landscaped areas is permitted at any time if it is by means of a faucet filled bucket or watering can of five (5) gallons or less.

 (b) The use of water for construction purposes from designated fire hydrants under special permit is to be discontinued, unless located at dead end water mains where flushing is necessary to maintain public health.

 

Stage 4 Response -- CRITICAL Water Shortage Conditions

 Target: Achieve a 30 percent reduction in total water use or daily water demand.

 Best Management Practices for Supply Management:

The City will manage limited water supplies and/or reduce water demand by flushing of water mains only as needed, limit irrigation of parks and athletic fields to watering can, bucket, or alternate water source, increase enforcement of watering schedule and water waste, and public notification of Stage 4 Water Use Restrictions.

Water Use Restrictions for Reducing Demand: All requirements of Stage 2 and 3 shall remain in effect during Stage 4 except:

 (a) Irrigation of landscaped areas shall be limited to Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), and Tuesdays for customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), irrigation of landscaped areas is further limited to between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 8:00 a.m. on designated watering day, and by watering can or bucket only.

 (b) Foundation watering for purposes of maintaining the integrity of structures is permitted only during designated watering days and times noted above within no more than two (2) feet of the structure, and with a designated soaker hose.

 (c) Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle not occurring on the premises of a commercial car wash and commercial service stations and not in the immediate interest of public health, safety, and welfare is prohibited. Further, such vehicle washing at commercial car washes and commercial service stations shall occur only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and between 6:00 p.m. and 10 p.m.

 (d) The filling, refilling, or adding of water to swimming pools, wading pools, and Jacuzzi-type pools is prohibited.

 (e) Operation of any ornamental fountain or pond for aesthetic or scenic purposes is prohibited except where necessary to support aquatic life or where such fountains or ponds are equipped with a recirculation system.

 (f) No application for new, additional, expanded, or increased-in-size water service connections, meters, service lines, pipeline extensions, mains, or water service facilities of any kind shall be approved, and time limits for approval of such applications are hereby suspended for such time as this drought response stage or a higher-numbered stage shall be in effect.

Stage 5 Response -- EMERGENCY Water Shortage Conditions

 Target: Achieve necessary reduction in total water use or daily water demand.

 Best Management Practices for Supply Management:

The City will manage limited water supplies and/or reduce water demand by discontinued flushing of water mains and discontinue irrigation of parks and athletic fields except by alternate water source, maintain enforcement of watering schedule and water waste, and public notification of Stage 5 Water Use Restrictions. In the event of an emergency loss of water supply, the City Manager will consider purchase of water supplies from any available source (e.g. truckload or in bottles) for the health and public safety of the residents.

 Water Use Restrictions for Reducing Demand. All requirements of Stage 2, 3, and 4 shall remain in effect during Stage 5 except:

(a) Irrigation of landscaped areas is prohibited.

(b) Use of water to wash any motor vehicle, motorbike, boat, trailer, airplane or other vehicle is prohibited.

(c) All outdoor and non-essential use of water is prohibited.

Water Allocation. In the event that EMERGENCY water shortage conditions continue to persist and threaten public health, safety, and welfare, the City Manager is authorized to allocate water by establishing a residential (domestic water use) schedule based on the number of persons per household and gallons per month, and commercial/institutional and industrial water use schedules based on a percent of the customer’s winter average usage for the previous 12 months. If the customers’ billing history is shorter than 12 months and does not include a winter average, the monthly average for the period for which there is a record shall be used.

The Mayor and City Council will immediately be notified of the need to allocate water and an emergency meeting of the City Council will be called to consider or ratify the water allocation schedules established by the City Manager.