Tag Archives: Austin Water Utility
Monday, February 25, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water touts water conservation efforts
Despite Austin’s consistent growth and the city demographer’s prediction that city utilities will need to serve 4 million residents in the next 100 years, Austin Water feels confident that its facilities are up to the challenge.In terms of today’s water…
Friday, February 22, 2019 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Permanent zebra mussel solution still 18 months out
Following the odorous indication that a zebra mussel infestation had arrived in Austin waterways earlier this month, Austin Water has been working to come up with a solution to prevent a similar instance from recurring.Austin Water is already working to slow the…
Friday, February 8, 2019 by Andy Jechow
Water
Odd smell in Austin’s tap water likely caused by zebra mussels, city says
If you think your tap water smells strange today, you’re not alone.South and Central Austin residents began noticing the unusual smell Thursday morning. Austin Water initially said work on a waterline was to blame, but in an afternoon update, the…
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 by Mose Buchele
Water
Austin Water report shows big impact of boil order was conservation
Austin Water delivered an “after action” report to City Council yesterday on the weeklong boil-water order enacted during severe flooding in October. The presentation shed more light on what happened to bring about the emergency and what the city might…
Monday, December 3, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Resources
Austin Energy discusses how to resolve repercussions of water bill fiasco
It has been over a year since the water bill saga first made headlines in Austin. However, only now are city utilities releasing a post-mortem report designed to help them avoid a similar situation in the future.While the report that…
Friday, November 30, 2018 by Jack Craver
Water
Council approves 100-year water conservation road map
On Thursday, City Council unanimously adopted a plan to guide Austin’s water use for the next century.“This is a tremendous moment for Austin,” said David Foster, director of Texas Clean Water Action. “If we pass this plan, Austin will become…
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 by Jack Craver
Water
To conserve water amid warming climate, city envisions major underground storage system
For four years, volunteer members of the Integrated Water Resource Task Force have been crafting a plan to conserve Austin’s water supply over the next century.While experts have long warned that a warming climate, coupled with a growing population, poses…
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Council
Council seems ready to OK biosolids contract
The latest chapter in the city’s quest to sign a new contract for handling biosolids at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant appears to be nearing its end after two and half years of struggle. With Council Member Alison Alter…
Tuesday, October 30, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
City Hall
Council plans additional post-mortem review of water crisis
Although last week’s crisis has passed and Austinites once again have clean drinking water in their homes and offices, City Council still has much work to do.In anticipation of the questions that would arrive in the aftermath of the boil…
Friday, October 26, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Water
Boil water order may be lifted Sunday
Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros said Thursday he expects a boil water notice for water utility customers to remain in effect until Sunday evening. In the meantime, the utility is working to satisfy all of its internal requirements as well…
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Water
Boil water rule could end this weekend
Although a Travis County emergency management official told commissioners Tuesday morning that the current boil water advisory for Austin Water customers could continue for 10 to 14 days, city officials said Tuesday afternoon that such a scenario was unlikely.Mayor Steve…
Monday, October 15, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Water and Wastewater Commission holds off on billing recommendation
Over a year after the water billing saga surfaced in the news, Austin Water and Austin Energy are still working to adjust internal processes in order to proactively prevent a similar situation from reoccurring.In their effort to do so, several…
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 by Mose Buchele
Environment
Zebra mussels found in Austin Water intake pipes
Divers have found large amounts of invasive zebra mussels at intake pipes that feed Austin’s water supply, opening up a costly new challenge for the city’s water utility.Austin Water had seen evidence of the small, rectangular mussels in water samples…
Monday, August 6, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Austin Water lays the path forward for the next 100 years of water conservation
There’s no denying it: The climate as we know it is changing, but access to water sources is not.Three years ago the second iteration of the Water Forward Task Force convened in an effort to draft a 100-year water supply…
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
City Hall
Despite water bill debacle, Austin’s utility customer service rating remains unharmed
The wounds that last fall’s water bill catastrophe left behind had the potential to open up once again as Austin Energy reviewed its customer service ratings and presented the findings at the July 16 meeting of the Electric Utility Commission.“Didn’t we…
Wednesday, July 18, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Commissioners: Water bills should be overseen by Austin Water
Following the water bill fiasco from last fall, Austin Energy and Austin Water teamed up on a working group to uncover the puzzling reasons behind the unusual spikes.Although the group started off with one question, Commissioner Mickey Maia reported back…
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Water
Despite low water usage from Austinites, Austin Water continues to pay down debt
As it happens every year, Austin Water, the city-owned water and wastewater utility, is currently in the midst of planning its budget for the next fiscal year, which will also reflect an updated financial forecast until the year 2023.Although this…
Friday, May 4, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Environment
Talking climate change, national water experts in Austin look for answers
With temperatures creeping toward the triple digits and area rainfall totals falling below historical averages, Austin’s environmental and public planning communities recently got a look at the ways local governments across the country are planning to deal with water management…
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 by Caleb Pritchard
Water
Purple pipe to save water, Travis County tax dollars
Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea gathered members of the media at the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon to tout a water conservation program that will save millions of gallons of drinking water per year.Those savings are courtesy of…
