Lago Vista businesses concerned with emergency water restrictions

Businesses in Lago Vista are concerned about the recent water restrictions.

Over the weekend, one of the city's water treatment plants failed leading to a Stage Five Emergency Water Restriction. The city is telling those who live there not to water their lawns or wash cars. 

Those who use water everyday worry more restrictions may lead to a loss in business.

"We pretty much use the water for everything," said Maria Soto a local restaurant owner in Lago Vista.

On Monday, she was flooded with news of the recent water restrictions when getting to work.

"Talking with a lady (Monday) morning and she told me about (it) but like I say if we don't have water we can't work," said Soto.

Due to how much their restaurant uses water, Soto said if water is ever shut off they must close up shop temporarily. The recent water restrictions were sparked by a shortage at one of the city's water treatment plants.

"Took out 2 of the 3 pumps at the raw water intake and it bypassed the surge protectors," said Eric Belaj, Lago Vista city engineer.

With repairs underway, Soto worries more restrictions will be put in place or worse be shutoff.

"We would have to wait, we can't do anything without water," said Soto.

While the plant is down Belaj is urging businesses like Soto's not to worry.

"There are no areas without water right now. The city staff has worked really hard to ramp up production to the second water plant to where that one will supply our necessary and critical needs for the city," said Belaj.

For now, Belaj said these limitations are strictly for outdoor water use, "All we're asking our citizens to do is limit their what we call aesthetic water use such as irrigating the lawn and things like that until we can fix this problem." 

In order to make repairs crews must get the two broken pumps from the bottom of lake Travis.

The city expects to have fixed most of the issue by Thursday and lift the water restrictions before the weekend.