MENUMENU
  • My Account
  • Pay My Bill
  • Forms
LMUD
Customer Service: (512) 261-6222 x110

Open House, March 27-31: Conversation Starters at 10am and 2pm daily →

MENUMENU
  • LMUD logo
  • Customers
    • My Account
    • Pay My Bill
    • Start/Stop/Change Service
    • Tap Fee Schedule
    • Rates
      • Billing Cycle
      • Winter Averaging
    • Irrigation Schedule
    • Forms
      • Report a Problem
      • Authorization for Automatic Payments
      • Cancel Automatic Drafting
      • Request Change of Billing Address
      • Request Termination of Service
      • Request for Variance from Drought Contingency Plan
      • Notification of Right of Confidentiality of Customer Information
      • Application and Service Contract for Water and/or Wastewater Services
      • Grinder Pump System Service and Maintenance Addendum
  • Service Providers
    • Guideline & Requirement Documentation
      • Standard Details
      • Wastewater Back-up Relieve Valve Installation Guide
      • Grease Interceptor Requirements
      • Plumbing Requirements for Residential Application
      • Plumbing Code
    • Permits & Inspections
      • Procedure For New Construction
      • Permits
      • Wastewater Back-up Relief Valve Installation Guide
      • Easement Release
      • Application for Drought Variance
      • Construction Documents
      • Plumbing Fee Schedule
    • Forms
      • Application For Plumbing Permit
      • Application for Easement Release
      • Backflow Prevention Assembly Test & Maintenance Report
      • Application and Service Contract for Water and/or Wastewater Services
      • Notice to Purchasers
    • Rates
  • Updates
    • Awards
    • Updates
      • ODWW Project
      • In The News
      • Land Sale
    • Water Conservation Tips
    • Meetings
      • Board Meetings
      • Committee Meetings
    • Water Quality Report
    • Events
      • Upcoming Events
      • Past Events
      • Event Coverage
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Coverage Area
    • Meet Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Committees
      • Staff
    • About Your Water
      • Boil Water Notices
    • History
      • Election History
    • Services
      • Potable Water
      • Wastewater
      • Water Reuse
    • Orders/Plans/Permits
      • Rate Order
      • Water Conservation Plan
      • Drought Contingency Plan
    • Financial Documents
      • Audits
      • Balance Sheets and Income & Expenses
      • Budgets
      • Check Registers
    • Community Resources
    • FAQs
    • Transparency
      • Financial Transparency
    • Employment
      • Job Openings
      • Job Application
  • Contact Us
LMUD
  • My Account
  • Pay My Bill
  • Forms
  • Customers
    • My Account
    • Pay My Bill
    • Start/Stop/Change Service
    • Rates
    • Irrigation Schedule
    • Tap Fee Schedule
    • Forms
  • Service Providers
    • Rates
    • Guideline & Requirement Documentation
    • Permits & Inspections
    • Forms
  • Updates
    • Awards
    • Alerts
    • Updates
    • ODWW Project
    • Water Conservation Tips
    • Meetings
    • Water Quality Report
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Meet Our Team
    • History
    • Services
    • About Your Water
    • Coverage Area
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Financial Documents
    • Financial Transparency
    • Community Resources
  • Contact Us
Pay My Bill
Manage My Account
Customer Service:
(512) 261-6222 x110

Open House, March 27-31: Conversation Starters at 10am and 2pm daily →

Updates

Beneficial reuse prevents wastewater discharge, promotes conservation

September 2, 2021

As published in the Lake Travis View, August 2021

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the algae blooms around the Austin area. As a water provider that uses the Highland Lakes as our only source for raw water, we know that while most algae are harmless, some contain cyanotoxin that can be harmful to both people and pets.

However, because water utilities like the Lakeway Municipal Utility District carefully test for a variety of substances during the treatment process at the water plant, drinking water remains safe. It’s the discharge of treated wastewater back into these bodies of water that has raised concerns as a possible cause of excess algae blooms. However, Lakeway MUD as well as many other water utilities on the Highland Lakes are subject to a discharge ban that prevents this form of disposal. Since the 1970s, Lakeway MUD has been a leader in the beneficial reuse of treated wastewater for land application, a massive conservation effort.

Since the 1970s, Lakeway MUD has been a leader in the beneficial reuse of treated wastewater for land application, a massive conservation effort.

With an expanding population, the demand for water is increasing at a rapid rate while the supply of readily available fresh water is decreasing. Treated wastewater (effluent) has been proven to be a viable solution to significantly conserve the supply of potable water. “Our reuse (or reclaimed or recycled) water is wastewater that has been treated to the highest standards,” said Earl Foster, Lakeway MUD’s general manager. “It’s not approved for drinking; however, it is a perfectly safe and environmentally friendly option for irrigation, which attributes about 60% of water use. As we are able to expand our recycled water system to more residential locations, it decreases the demand on our water plant and the amount of water we have to pull out of Lake Travis.”

Lakeway MUD was one of the first in the state to implement a water reuse system to irrigate the Yaupon Golf Course in 1975. We went on to make history in 1994 by becoming the first water provider in Texas to utilize recycled water in a residential area: Estates of Lakeway Hills. Today, we have storage for over 90 million gallons of recycled water that is used for irrigating several local golf courses, the city’s medians, parks, and various commercial and some residential locations. “We’re currently saving about 30% of our potable water from being used for irrigation purposes,” Foster said.

The Highland Lakes, including Lake Travis, are susceptible to drought so minimizing how much water is withdrawn is an important conservation effort. Before COVID, Christianne Castleberry, LMUD’s engineer consultant, participated in a panel session on the topic of “Reuse as a Resource” alongside representatives from the city of Austin and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. “LMUD is saving roughly 158 million gallons per year from being taken out of Lake Travis,” she said.

Castleberry made note that in response to the severest drought on record for the Highland Lakes, Foster spearheaded the formation of the Highland Lakes Firm Water Cooperative in 2012. This coop advocates for firm water interests within water management planning efforts to ensure enough water is allocated for potable water use, especially in times of drought.

Since the Highland Lakes are considered a reservoir, pollutants that enter are likely to remain longer and accumulate more than, for example, in a flowing river. In the late 1980s, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued the Highland Lakes discharge ban rule that prohibits affected water utilities from discharging treated wastewater back into the lakes, making land application the only option for Lakeway MUD, as well as many other regional water providers. Other water bodies have watershed protection rules in place, however no other lakes in Texas have a similar ban on wastewater discharge.

In 2007, the 80th Texas Legislature amended Section 13.146 of the Texas Water Code to require each retail public utility that provides potable water service to 3,300 or more connections to submit a water conservation plan to the Texas Water Development Board. As such (and because we care about the vitality of the water source for the community we serve), water providers like Lakeway MUD implement strategies for reducing the consumption of water, reducing the loss or waste of water, improving or maintaining the efficiency in the use of water, and increasing recycling and reuse of water. These strategies include efforts by our customers, such as following irrigation schedules and practicing water saving methods.

Written by Stephanie Threinen, public information liaison for the Lakeway Municipal Utility District. Earl Foster is the general manager of LMUD.

← Newer Post
Older Post →

Latest News

  • Open House, March 27-31: Conversation Starters at 10am and 2pm daily

  • Board of Directors: March 8, 2023

  • Regular, Early, and Late Connection Options

  • Board of Directors: February 8, 2023

  • Notice to Customers Regarding Extreme Weather Emergency

Updates

  • Awards
  • Updates
    • ODWW Project
    • In The News
    • Land Sale
  • Meetings
    • Board of Directors Meetings
    • Committee Meetings
  • Water Conservation Tips
  • Water Quality Report
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
    • Event Coverage

Lakeway Municipal Utility District

1097 Lohmans Crossing
Lakeway, TX 78734-4459

Monday thru Friday
8:00 am- noon and 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Closed Holidays (see complete list)

(512) 261-6222 x110
(512) 261-2800 (after hours emergency)
(512) 261-6681

CustomerService@lakewaymud.org

Customer Support

  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Start or Change Service
  • Report a Problem
  • Review Rates
  • Irrigation Schedule
  • Forms
  • Guideline & Requirement Documentation

Quality Matters

  • About Us
  • Services
  • Water Quality Report
  • Financial Transparency
  • Awards
Lakeway Municipal Utility District | Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved
Notice: You are leaving the LMUD website.

You are now being redirected to our payment portal where your information remains private and secure.


I understand
Return to LMUD