Pflugerville water crisis: 40 citations issued so far for Stage 3 violations

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas - Dozens of citations have been issued so far for violations of Pflugerville's Stage 3 water restrictions.

The restrictions went into effect in early March and have almost been in effect for a month.

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What we know:

The city said on social media that as of April 1, 40 citations have been issued. 

Customers who do not follow water restrictions may receive formal warnings or fines that could range from $1,500 to $2,000 per occurrence.

By the numbers:

The city is also trying to encourage residents to conserve water to bring the city's water usage goal down to 4 million gallons a day (MGD).

On March 31, the city's use sat at 4.327 MGD. Only once did the city drop below the stated goal; on March 20, the city's usage sat at 3.793 MGD.

When Stage 3 went into effect, the city's usage sat at 5.388 MGD and, other than one peak on March 10 at 5.448, has stayed below 5 MGD.

Lake levels currently sit at 629.07 feet, but the city says the lake needs to stay at 633 feet in order to move back to Stage 1. 

Timeline:

On March 4, Mayor Doug Weiss issued an emergency disaster declaration due to an imminent public water supply failure. 

The declaration was due to "the failure of a pipeline feeding raw water to Lake Pflugerville has resulted in declining lake elevations, which are forecasted to continue dropping."

Stage 3 water restrictions were put in place after the original 30-inch raw intake pipe that fills the lake broke while a 42-inch secondary raw waterline was being constructed. 

The water flow was turned back on prematurely, according to city officials, causing the pipe to move and crack.

A few days later, crews were installing a bypass pipe in order to get water flowing again. The 24-inch temporary bypass waterline was fully installed by March 11, allowing water to be pumped from the Colorado River to Lake Pflugerville.

On March 17, a fifth break was found in the raw waterline. By the evening of March 18, the pipeline was repaired and water flow to the lake had been restored, according to the city.

At a March 24 meeting, city council stated that the city is working with contractors and consultants to schedule another shutdown around the last week of May which could last about two weeks. 

The city will need to flush fire hydrants as required by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and plans to capture as much of the flushed water as possible for reuse. Routine flushing will address some of the feedback received from customers and improve water taste.

What you can do:

During Stage 3, water use is limited to indoor use only, except for watering foundations to prevent cracking. 

City of Pflugerville water customers are not allowed to do any outdoor watering, including:

• Lawn, garden, or potted plant irrigation using sprinklers or hoses
• Filling empty swimming pools
• Washing cars at home
• Decorative fountains, unless they contain fish or recirculate water
• Installing new landscaping that requires watering
• Washing sidewalks or driveways

Residential customers may use patio misters, but commercial customers are prohibited from using patio misters. 

City water customers are asked not to wash cars during Stage 3, but to use commercial car washes if choosing to do so.

Lake Pflugerville and fishing piers are closed to recreational use, including boating, swimming, and fishing. The trail and playground remain open.