The City of Pflugerville says raw water is once again flowing into Lake Pflugerville after crews installed a temporary bypass pipeline following a break in the city’s primary raw waterline.
City officials say contractor crews completed installation of a 24-inch temporary bypass waterline on March 10, allowing water to begin pumping from the Colorado River to Lake Pflugerville on March 11.
The emergency measure comes after a break in the city’s 30-inch raw waterline halted the flow of water to the lake, which serves as Pflugerville’s primary water source. The disruption caused lake levels to drop significantly and prompted the city to implement Stage 3 emergency water restrictions.
Officials say those restrictions are expected to remain in place until the lake reaches a depth of 19 feet. The lake currently sits at about 16.5 feet, and city leaders estimate it could take at least 60 days to restore water levels.
While the difference may appear small, officials say the recovery requires hundreds of millions of gallons of water.
At the moment, the temporary bypass pipeline, groundwater wells, and water from Manville Water Supply Corporation are providing roughly 8 million gallons of water per day to the lake. Current customer demand is about 5 million gallons per day, allowing the lake to recover at a rate of approximately 3 million gallons per day.
The original pipeline break occurred during construction of a 42-inch secondary raw waterline, which is designed to provide additional capacity and redundancy for the city’s water supply. City officials expect the new line to begin delivering water by the end of June 2026.
Current Water Restrictions
Under Stage 3 water restrictions, Pflugerville customers are limited primarily to indoor water use.
Outdoor watering is generally prohibited, including:
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Lawn or garden irrigation using sprinklers or hoses
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Filling swimming pools
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Washing cars at home
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Operating decorative fountains unless they recirculate water or contain fish
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Installing new landscaping that requires watering
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Washing sidewalks or driveways
The city says residents who violate the restrictions could face fines of up to $2,000 per occurrence.
Officials are urging residents to conserve water in order to help speed the recovery of Lake Pflugerville’s water levels.
