Cooler fall temperatures should translate to good news for you — lower water bills! As winter gets closer, the plants in your yard are going dormant and have very low water requirements. You should have already moved to a once per week watering schedule and turned off your sprinklers altogether when rain is expected. If you’re not ready to go cold turkey on watering, you can start by decreasing run times in some of the less visible zones of your yard.
In addition to cost savings to you on next month’s water bill, here are some other great reasons to consider lowering your water use:
The City of Round Rock uses the average of your water consumption during cooler winter months to determine wastewater charges for the rest of the year. The City assumes these months will be the lowest water use months of the year, as there is no or minimal outdoor use due to typical rainfall and climate conditions. Therefore, all the water you are using is going down the drain or is for indoor use. During the summer months, any consumption above that winter average is not charged additional wastewater fees because it is assumed to be going on your yard, or into your pool.
Believe it or not, the Brazos River Authority (BRA) is reporting drier than normal conditions at Lake Georgetown, which provides a large portion of the City of Round Rock’s drinking water. The BRA has already implemented drought contingency measures for Lake Georgetown, which includes a voluntary ask for a 5 percent reduction in water use. Though the City has not yet implement conservation stages from its drought contingency plan, Stage I could take effect once Lake Georgetown elevation’s falls below 770 feet above mean sea level (msl) for three consecutive days. It is currently just under 777 feet.
By turning off your sprinklers, you’re benefitting both your wallet and your community! For more ideas on how to save water, visit roundrocktexas.gov/conservation.
