Pflugerville hits fifth waterline break; residents urged to use less water

A fifth break in a 30-inch Pflugerville waterline under repair has caused water to stop flowing to the city’s lake, officials said Tuesday. Lake Pflugerville is the city’s main water source.

All customers are asked to increase their conservation efforts to reduce demand, including delaying laundry and dishwasher use, according to the city’s website. “Failure to increase water conservation may lead to further water restrictions,” the website said.

Since March 4, Pflugerville water customers have been in Stage 3 emergency water restrictions, which allow only indoor watering except for foundations. 

The fifth break in the waterline was identified Tuesday morning, officials said. The waterline has had a series of breaks since the fall. The fourth break, identified in February, caused the lake to fall to historic lows, officials said.

The city said a newly installed 24-inch bypass pipeline began sending water to Lake Pflugerville last week, but Stage 3 water restrictions could persist for at least 60 days until the lake level reaches 19 feet. The water from the 24-inch bypass was no longer reaching the lake Tuesday because the bypass was connected at two points to the existing waterline, and the fifth break happened beyond those connections, officials said.

“The temporary bypass waterline is approximately 200 feet long and connects to the existing raw waterline at two points, allowing water to flow around the area of the existing raw water line that needs to be repaired as a result of the fourth break,” said Candace Mundt-Bates, a city spokeswoman.

“The fifth break is on a different section of the existing raw waterline, miles beyond the point at which the temporary bypass waterline reconnects to the existing raw waterline.”

The city issued a warning on its website Friday, saying customer water use was rising and threatening the water supply.

“Daily use is trending upward, putting lake levels at further risk and potentially delaying the transition out of Stage 3 emergency water restrictions,” the website said. 

The city website listed these tips for saving more water: