The SW Austin Water main repair is complete. Austin Water confirmed that customers can resume normal water use now that repairs are complete on the leaking 48-inch water line near the Davis Lane pump station in Southwest Austin. Crews also performed routine procedures to flush and disinfect the repaired lines. During the repair period, Austin Water’s call volume remained near normal with no increased reports of outages in the affected area. Customers experiencing any water service issues for any reason, may call Austin Water’s Customer Service Contact Center at 512-972-1000 and select Option 1 to report the concern.

As always, you can reach us by email at AWWholesale@austintexas.gov or call 512-422-5121 with any questions or concerns.

This is to provide you with updated information regarding the water line repair. Additional details can be found in the press release and below.

As always, can reach us by email at AWWholesale@austintexas.gov with any questions or concerns. In case of an emergency, you can also call 512-422-5121 or contact Austin Water’s 24/7 Customer Service Contact Center at 512-972-1000, Select option 1.

Austin Water reports that repairs to a leaking water main that services Southwest Austin are taking longer than anticipated. Workers have encountered difficulties with connecting the repaired section of pipe to existing infrastructure, causing a delay in the return to normal water use and a second day of bottled water distribution.

Austin Water is repeating its call for customers in Southwest Austin to conserve water and refrain from non-essential water use. Customers in the area are being asked to hold off on activities like washing clothes and dishes, using irrigation systems, and washing cars until they are notified that repairs are complete. The continued conservation efforts of customers have so far helped to maintain adequate reservoir water levels and stable system pressure to service the area.

Bottled water distribution at Bowie High School, 4103 W. Slaughter Ln., Austin, TX 78749, will resume at 9 a.m. for customers near the area of the repair.

If customers experience any water service issues, they should call Austin Water’s Customer Service Contact Center at (512) 972-1000 and select Option 1 to report the concern.

Austin Water will provide additional updates once repairs are complete and normal water use can resume.

About Austin Water
Austin Water provides safe, reliable, high quality, sustainable and affordable water services that have met the community’s needs for over 100 years. Austin Water services over 1 million people in the Austin metropolitan area across more than 548 square miles.

With freezing temperatures right around the corner, it’s a good time to refresh ourselves on precautionary measures for drops in temperature and cold weather.

The Four P’s to Prepare your Home this Winter:

• People
• Pets
• Pipes
• Plants

People

• Avoid going outside if it is not necessary. If you do, make sure you layer up from head to toe.
• To keep you and your family safe, it is imperative your home is warm.
• Make sure your heat is set to an appropriate temperature to make your entire home comfortable. Remember, heat rises so if you sleep upstairs, your room may be warmer than rooms downstairs.
• If you use a fireplace, make sure you have a screen to catch any embers that might escape or a rolling log.
• Never use your stove or oven to heat your home.
• If you smell smoke or see flames, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Pets

• While protecting your family, it is imperative to protect your pets as well.
• Pets, like humans, are vulnerable to cold temperatures. If not taken care of properly, they can succumb to frostbite and even hypothermia.
• If you have a dog that typically lives outdoors, consider letting them inside when temperatures drop to freezing. While their fur does help to keep them warm, it provides little help in freezing temperatures.
• If you absolutely cannot bring them inside, make sure they have a warm shelter, plenty of food and fresh water so it does not freeze.
• If your pet looks like it has any symptoms resembling frostbite or hypothermia, call your vet.

Pipes

• Turn off the sprinkler system shut-off valve. Most residential devices have two shut-off valves. These are typically covered in blue on the valve handles and located before and after the sprinkler system backflow device. A diagram is shown below.
• Release the water pressure from the bleeder valves. The bleeder valves are usually located under the top of the backflow device. If the water does not stop flowing you may have not shut the valves off completely.
• Leave the smaller bleeder valve open, this will let any remaining water in the line expand without breaking the device. Insulate your backflow device. Most hardware/home services stores carry backflow insulation supplies.
• Make sure to cover all your exposed pipes with a cover. You can also cover your pipes with towels, duct tape or another adhesive strip as long as they are wrapped tightly.
• You can also open up the cabinets to let warm air circulate throughout your home. Just make sure any harmful chemicals are out of reach for children and pets.

Plants

• When cold weather hits, it’s a good idea to bring in all of your outdoor plants.
• If you can’t bring in the plant, cover it with a blanket to make sure they do not die.

Other Tips

• Don’t forget to make sure your car is okay for the freezing temperatures. Check your anti-freeze and your batteries. Also make sure to check your tire pressure and the tread.
• Speaking of cars, make sure when you are on the road that you are mindful parts of the roads may be frozen, particularly bridges. Do not speed and never slam on the brakes.
• Make sure if you use a generator, it is outdoors. Do not use a generator inside, including in your garage.

Austin Water, along with Shady Hollow MUD, have lifted the boil water notice for all customers. You no longer need to boil water used for drinking, cooking, and making ice. Water quality testing submitted to the state has confirmed that tap water meets all regulatory standards and is safe for consumption. For more Information, visit AustinTexas.gov/Alerts

El Departamento de Agua de Austin, y Shady Hollow MUD, ha cancelado el aviso de hervir el agua para todos sus clientes. Ya no tienen que hervir el agua para tomar, cocinar y hacer hielo. Las pruebas de calidad del agua enviadas al estado confirmaron que el agua del grifo cumple con todos los estándares reguladores y es segura para consumir. Para más información visite, AustinTexas.gov/Alerts

Visit Austin’s emergency information hub for water notices for Austin water. https://www.austintexas.gov/alerts

Visit the Austin Water website for information regarding the freezing weather in the area.

What has transpired for the past 8 years with the water and wastewater service in Shady Hollow Municipal Utility District (SHMUD)?

A Municipal Utility District (MUD) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas authorized by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to provide water, sewage, drainage, and other services within the MUD boundaries.

Shady Hollow MUD is made up of in-district customers and out-of-district customers. In-district customers pay taxes, vote, and can hold office. Out-of- district customers do not pay taxes. To offset not paying taxes, the MUD is authorized to charge higher rates for out-of-district customers. The increased rates are about the same as the average in-district homeowner’s taxes.

In 2013, the City of Austin (COA) and SHMUD signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) that authorized annexation of Shady Hollow MUD and the surrounding areas in December 2020. Pursuant to the SPA, the water and wastewater system was transferred to the COA in April 2018, at which time the COA began billing customers for those services. As a result of the pending full annexation in December 2020, SHMUD decided to spend down the reserves which had been accumulated since the MUD was created in December 1980. These reserves, upon annexation, would have been transferred to the COA.

In 2017, SHMUD sued the COA due to excessive wholesale water rates. The settlement included a one-time payment of $850,000 (which was returned to customers in the form of monthly bill credits) and required the COA, upon assumption of the District’s water and wastewater system in April 2018, to maintain the water and wastewater rates charged by SHMUD. The water rates remained the same from 2015- April 2021.

In 2019, the Shady Hollow HOA was successful in passing SB 1468, which effectively prevented full annexation of SHMUD by the COA. SHMUD then negotiated with the COA for the return of its water and wastewater system. The new wholesale water contract with the COA included increased wholesale water rates charged to SHMUD.

I hope this is helpful to understand the increased water bills.

Shady Hollow residents welcome back to the Municipal Utility District (MUD). There have been questions about billing and setting up accounts.

Shady Hollow MUD received your billing and contact information from the City of Austin during the transfer so you will not need to setup a new account. If you were a previous MUD customer, you will be issued your previous account number. If you moved into Shady Hollow after April 2018, a new account number will be issued.

Online payment through the Payclix account will be permissible after you receive your first bill. You can complete the process as described on http://www.shmud.org/water/.

Shady Hollow MUD does not have a local office so bills will need to be mailed or paid online. Payments will not be accepted at the Shady Hollow HOA drop box or office.

If any more questions, utilize the contact form at http://www.shmud.org/contact/. You can also reach out to us at

Why?

Using water more efficiently will not only save money but, more importantly, will also help protect the quality of life of future Texans.

With the vastness of Texas, it’s easy to forget two important facts about our state: we are subject to frequent droughts, and our population is projected to double in the next 50 years. The cost of developing new or additional supplies in that same time period is estimated to be $30.7 billion.

To ensure that we have enough water for current and future Texans, we need to reduce the amount of water we waste.

Possible Water Savings

• High-efficiency toilets, water-efficient washing machines, rainwater harvesting systems, and water-efficient landscaping can all help reduce water use.
• A low-flush toilet (or low-flow toilet or high efficiency toilet) is a flush toilet that uses significantly less water than a full-flush toilet. Low flush toilets include single-flush models and dual-flush toilets, which typically use 1.6 US gallons per flush for the full flush and 1.28 US gallons for a reduced flush.
• Water-efficient showerheads and aerators for faucets can significantly reduce the amount of water you use. In fact, installing a water-efficient showerhead is one of the most effective water-saving steps you can take inside your house.
• Leaking faucets and toilets can waste thousands of gallons of water monthly, and they are inexpensive to fix. A few small changes in your water use habits can make a huge difference in water savings.

Tips in the Bathroom

• Replace your showerhead with a water-efficient model.
• Take short showers.
• Turn off the water while you are shaving. Fill the sink with hot water instead of letting the water run continuously.
• Never use the toilet to dispose of trash.
• Don’t waste water when brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Shut off the water until it’s time to rinse.

Tips in the Kitchen

• Run the dishwasher only when full.
• Install faucet aerators. You’ll never notice the difference, and you’ll cut your sink water consumption in half!
• Keep a container of water in the refrigerator. It will be refreshingly cool and won’t waste water.
• Dry scrape dishes instead of rinsing. Your dishwasher will take care of the rest.
• Use garbage disposals sparingly. They can waste water unnecessarily.

• Conventional washing machines use 32 to 59 gallons of water per load. Use the lowest water level setting on the washing machine for light or partial loads whenever possible.
• Use cold water as often as possible to save energy and conserve hot water for uses that cold water cannot serve.

Austin Water has lifted the boil water notice for all customers. The notice has been in place since Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. Customers no longer need to boil water used for drinking, cooking and, making ice. Water quality testing submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has confirmed that tap water meets all regulatory standards and is safe for human consumption.

On February 17, the TCEQ required Austin Water, Public Water System ID#TX227001, to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by this public water system used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of February 23, 2021.

“Today we can report that Austin’s water system has been restored to normal operations and the boil water notice has been lifted for all our customers,” said Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros. “There is still a lot to do to repair water pipelines that were damaged by the freezing weather, but customers should only experience occasional impacts from that work. We are thankful for the community’s efforts to conserve water over this past week to help us restore our operations today.”

“Rescinding the boil water notice today is the result of round-the-clock efforts by Austin Water, as well as actions taken by our community to help their neighbors by using less water,” said City Manager Spencer Cronk. “This is a strong community that looks out for each other, and together we’ve achieved this important milestone in our recovery from last week’s freezing event.”

If customers have questions concerning this matter, visit www.austintexas.gov/page/boil-water-notice-and-faqsor follow @austinwater on social media.

Austin Water wholesale customers are conducting additional regulatory work in coordination with The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before lifting boil water notice for their customers. Austin Water wholesale districts in this list include: Night Hawk, Travis County WCID 10, Windermere, Creedmoor-Maha WSC, Morningside, Rivercrest, San Leanna, Marsha WSC, Wells Branch MUD, Northtown MUD, Manor, Rollingwood, Sunset Valley Customers of Austin Water wholesale customers listed above should contact their provider directly for the latest updates.