Water Matters: Fall/Winter 2026
Special Edition: Fall/Winter 2026
Do you know where your water comes from? LCRA operates six dams on the lower Colorado River that form the six Highland Lakes. Lakes Buchanan and Travis are the region’s water supply reservoirs. Local watering restrictions are based on the levels of these lakes as well as treatment plant capacity. Learn more at hydromet.lcra.org/riverreport.
WE ARE
LAKEWAY MUD
MORE THAN A WATER UTILITY.
Lakeway MUD’s work goes beyond delivering water and managing wastewater—it protects public health, safeguards Lake Travis and supports the community. From its creation in 1972 to its pioneering use of reclaimed water, LMUD has built a legacy of responsible stewardship and forward-thinking infrastructure. Today, the people behind the utility continue that work through daily operations, maintenance and long-term planning, guided by a simple commitment: conserve, protect and maintain.
Every day, Lakeway MUD delivers services you depend on, but rarely have to think about: safe, reliable water coming into your home—and wastewater safely leaving it.
Behind that simple expectation are skilled people, advanced technology, and well-maintained infrastructure working together to protect the health and safety of our community.
Lakeway MUD now serves more than 15,000 residents in the Lakeway area. Our responsibility goes well beyond delivering water through a pipe or carrying wastewater away. We operate and maintain the systems that protect public health, safeguard Lake Travis, and support the community we call home. That responsibility is at the heart of our history.
In 1971, Lakeway had just 300 homes spread across 1,000 acres. As the community grew, local leaders recognized an urgent need: wastewater had to be managed responsibly to protect Lake Travis from contamination, while a reliable source of potable water was needed for the people living here. Their response was the creation of Lakeway Municipal Utility District (LMUD) in 1972—one of the first MUDs in Texas and the first utility company in Lakeway.
From the beginning, water and wastewater were inseparable from protecting the community and the lake.
LAKEWAY MUD’s
RELIABILITY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
That forward-thinking approach continues today. In 1975, LMUD pioneered the use of treated wastewater for irrigation at Lakeway’s golf courses. In 1994, we became the first water provider in Texas to use reclaimed water in a residential neighborhood. These investments reduced demand for precious Lake Travis water while putting treated wastewater to beneficial use.
Today, our operators and staff continue that work every day—monitoring treatment processes, maintaining miles of infrastructure, responding when something goes wrong and planning for the systems Lakeway will need decades from now.
Our work can be easy to overlook. In fact, when we are doing our job well, you may never notice us at all.
But that reliability doesn’t happen by accident.
It comes from people who understand the responsibility entrusted to them and from generations of investment, planning and stewardship.
Our motto is: Conserve. Protect. Maintain: Conserve the water that comes from Lake Travis. Protect the health of our community and the natural resources we share. Maintain the infrastructure that keeps clean water flowing in and wastewater safely flowing out.
More than 50 years after Lakeway MUD was created, the purpose remains remarkably simple: Keep our community safe. Protect our water. Plan for what comes next.
We are proud to be part of the community we serve. •
SERVICES
POTABLE WATER:
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR
“Potable water” is water that has been treated to meet drinking water standards and is safe for everyday household uses such as drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning. On your Lakeway MUD bill, the cost of providing this service is divided between a base charge and a volume charge.
- The base charge is a fixed amount that helps pay for costs that remain consistent regardless of how much water an individual customer uses. These include treatment and distribution operations, required testing and regulatory compliance, system maintenance, staffing, customer service, and other operational expenses.
- The volume charge varies according to how much water is used during LMUD’s two-month billing cycle. Rather than charging the same price for every gallon, LMUD uses a six-tier rate structure.
LMUD bills once every two months so one bill cycle includes two-months of service. The first two tiers cover water use up to 30,000 gallons per billing cycle and are intended to accommodate typical essential household water needs at lower rates. Once consumption exceeds 30,000 gallons, it enters the third tier and is considered discretionary use. The price per 1,000 gallons progressively increases through each of the remaining tiers. This rate structure places more of the financial impact of higher water consumption on customers who use more, while keeping rates lower for customers with more moderate water needs. •
HOW WASTEWATER SERVICE IS CALCULATED
Unlike potable water, the wastewater leaving your home is not separately metered. That means LMUD needs another way to estimate how much wastewater each customer sends to the treatment plant. The answer is Winter Averaging. Most water used inside your home—such as water from showers, toilets, washing machines, sinks and dishwashers—enters your wastewater system and is ultimately treated at LMUD’s wastewater/recycled water treatment plant. Outdoor water used for irrigation, pools, and other activities generally does not. It evaporates or soaks into the ground. Because outdoor water use is typically lowest during the winter, LMUD uses water consumption from November through February to estimate the amount of water likely entering the wastewater system. During this period, LMUD compares the water usage from two billing cycles and uses the lower of the two to establish your wastewater volume for the following 12 months. The calculated amount is subject to a 2,000-gallon minimum and 30,000-gallon maximum per billing cycle. Winter is also an opportunity: reducing unnecessary water use during November through February can lower your wastewater volume charge for the following year. •
RECYCLED WATER SERVICE FOR IRRIGATION
Recycled water, also called reclaimed or reuse water, is highly treated and disinfected wastewater produced at LMUD’s wastewater treatment facilities. It meets Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirements for approved non-potable uses and is primarily used for landscape irrigation. LMUD’s reuse program saves approximately 30% of the potable water that otherwise would be used for irrigation—roughly 158 million gallons each year that do not have to be withdrawn from Lake Travis. LMUD provides recycled water for automatic irrigation at commercial properties and public spaces, including golf courses and landscaped areas. A limited number of homes (those around the Live Oak golf course and along the Lakeway Airpark) are also eligible to use recycled water for irrigation. Reuse provides an additional source of water for landscaping without using potable water, making it an important part of LMUD’s conservation and drought-management efforts. Because recycled water can be used for irrigation even when water supplies are limited, it helps reduce demand on potable water supplies. •
WATERING WISELY
Understanding Irrigation Restrictions
In Central Texas, drought is a recurring reality—even in years when heavy rainfall and flooding make it feel far away. Because our climate can shift quickly between extremes, the way we landscape and water our properties matters.
LMUD’s irrigation restrictions are tied to the combined storage levels of Lakes Buchanan and Travis and the drought stages established through the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). As lake levels change, the applicable restrictions and irrigation schedule can change as well. Customers in our Travis County MUDs 12 and 13 service area as well as along certain streets in MUD 11 are required to follow watering restrictions from West Travis County Public Utility Agency since that is where they currently get their water.
Restrictions apply to automatic in-ground irrigation systems, timed drip or soaker hoses, and unattended hose-end sprinklers. These systems may only be used during designated hours and on assigned days based on the last digit of the service address.
LMUD automatic irrigation restrictions prohibit use between 10AM and 7PM. Hand watering with a functional shut-off nozzle or refillable container is permitted at any time. Some restrictions apply year-round, including prohibitions on uncontrolled leaks, irrigation runoff into streets, broken or improperly adjusted sprinkler equipment and unattended running hoses.
LMUD does enforce watering restrictions. Customers receive multiple notifications when an infraction is identified, providing an opportunity to correct the problem before a penalty is issued. Continued violations can result in penalties of up to $1,000. The goal is compliance, not punishment: using water wisely helps protect our community’s water supply through both drought and abundance. •
WATER SMART REBATES FROM LCRA
Lakeway MUD customers have access to Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)’s Water Smart Rebates, which can help offset the cost of improvements that reduce water use at home. LCRA provides 50% rebates, up to $3,000 per residential property, for a variety of eligible improvements, including:
- Irrigation system evaluations to identify leaks, inefficient equipment, and opportunities to reduce water use
- Irrigation equipment such as pressure-reducing heads, soil-moisture sensors, rain sensors, and WaterSense® smart controllers
- Turf conversion to native garden beds or drought-tolerant landscapes, with a rebate of $0.50 per square foot, up to $2,000
- Landscape improvements including compost, mulch, aeration, and eligible soil testing
- Pool improvements, including high-efficiency filters and pool covers
can identify problems that may be increasing water use and help homeowners determine where improvements will have the greatest impact.
Rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications generally must be submitted within 90 days of completing the work with required documentation.
Before beginning a project, check the current eligibility requirements and application process. •
GRINDER PUMP SERVICE PROGRAM
Some Lakeway-area homes use grinder pump systems rather than conventional gravity sewer connections. These systems are necessary in areas where elevations or terrain make a traditional gravity sewer system impractical. A grinder pump collects wastewater from a property, grinds it, and pumps it into the public sewer system.
LMUD provides grinder pump service for all homes and businesses in the LMUD service area that use a grinder pump to connect to our public wastewater system. The program includes LMUD’s new customers in Rough Hollow, in the Travis County MUDs 11, 12, and 13 service area. In Rough Hollow, LMUD’s maintenance responsibility is limited to grinder pumps located at street level.
The service program covers routine preventative maintenance and necessary repairs to covered system components. The property owner is responsible for contacting LMUD to initiate a work order when service is needed.
A grinder pump control panel includes a warning light and audible alarm. If an alarm activates and does not stop within approximately five minutes after water use has stopped, contact LMUD for assistance.
Customers can help prevent problems by keeping fats, oils, grease, wipes, and other non-dissolvable materials out of drains and toilets. Grinder pumps work best when only wastewater and toilet paper enter the system. •
UPDATES
WINTER AVERAGING NOVEMBER 1 THRU MARCH 1
LMUD determines their customers’ volume charges for wastewater service based on “Winter Averaging” which takes place November through February each year. This period of lower outdoor water usage helps your water utility get a better average for how much of our customers’ water use is directed to our water recycling plant for treatment. Because wastewater is not metered, your wastewater volume charge for the year is based on your lowest monthly water use during the prior “Winter Averaging” time period. Using less water, especially outdoors (such as limiting your irrigation) will help to minimize your bills for the following year. For more information, visit LakewayMUD.org/update/winter-averaging.
BOARD APPROVES FY 2027 SERVICE RATES
At the September 9, 2026 Board of Directors meeting, the LMUD Board, under proposal from General Manager Earl Foster, approved changes to the FY 2027 Rate Order that include an increase in monthly water and wastewater base rates that begin with the December 2026 bill statements. The monthly water base rate increased from $33.00 to $36.00, wastewater base rates from $27.00 to $30.00 for in-district customers and from $87.00 to $90.00 for out-of-district customers. A $1 per month Meter Service Fee was also approved. These updates help ensure continued reliability and investment in essential water and wastewater infrastructure. For more information, visit LakewayMUD.org/customers/rates.
HIGHLANDS SERVICE AREA EXPANSION
Beginning August 17, 2026, Lakeway MUD assumed responsibility for water and wastewater customer service, billing, and distribution-system maintenance for residential customers in Rough Hollow and The Highlands of Lakeway: Travis County MUDs 11, 12, and 13 service area. The transition expands LMUD’s in-district service area and supports long-term reliability, operational efficiency and sustainable growth. To provide water to the expanded area, LMUD is investing in critical infrastructure, including expanded water and wastewater treatment capacity, a new water tower and additional infrastructure designed to provide reliable service for current and future residents. For more information, visit LakewayMUD.org/update/highlands-service-area. •
We appreciate your feedback!
Track your household water use with a free WaterSmart account.
- track your hourly or daily water usage
- self-identify and resolve leaks
- understand where your water is being used
LMUD customers are eligible for water-saving rebates from LCRA.
- rebates of 50% of the total cost, up to $3,000 per residential property
- includes irrigation system evaluations, pool covers, mulch, etc.
Past editions of this newsletter are available online.
- water conservation tips and resources
- LMUD news and updates
- upcoming events
Lakeway Municipal Utility District (LMUD), established in 1972, provides water, wastewater, and some reuse services to many of the homes and businesses in the City of Lakeway and a portion of the Village of the Hills and Rough Hollow.
District Office:
1097 Lohmans Crossing
Lakeway, TX 78734
(512) 261-6222
Cu*************@********ud.org
www.LakewayMUD.org
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