Firm Water Use
At its April 25 meeting in Brenham, the LCRA Board of Directors will consider modifications to LCRA’s Drought Contingency Plan for Firm Water Customers and related rules to clarify potential penalties for firm water customers that don’t adopt and implement appropriate drought response measures as required by LCRA’s DCP and rules.
“We’re looking for compliance – not enforcement,’’ said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water. “LCRA has the authority to impose penalties on firm customers that are not responding appropriately as the drought worsens, and we want to update our DCP and rules to make it clear what the penalties for a violation could be. This is a very serious drought, and we want to be on the same page with our customers in terms of implementing important drought-response measures to protect our water supplies.”
LCRA accepted comments on the proposed modifications to the DCP and rules through noon, Wednesday, April 17.
Enter Water Meter Reading
Log in to enter your water meter reading.
Be WaterSmart
Apply for rebates and other water conservation programs.
Water use schedules
Find LCRA customers’ watering schedules.
LCRA Firm Customers
LCRA supplies raw water to more than 120 firm customers.
Pending contract applications
Applications for over 500 acre-feet require LCRA Board approval.
Have a question?
800-776-5272, ext. 7701
Customers such as municipalities, industries and temporary water users in the LCRA water service area must secure a firm water supply contract from LCRA to use water from the Highland Lakes or lower Colorado River. Firm water is available even during a severe drought.
House Bill 1437 authorizes LCRA to also provide raw water to some entities in Williamson County. The supply of firm water under LCRA’s water right 14-5434, as amended, is subject to terms of the Garwood Purchase Agreement.
Contracts
Municipal, industrial and large-scale irrigation use
LCRA’s rate for firm water used is $155 an acre-foot per year. LCRA’s rate for firm water reserved for future use is $77.50 an acre-foot per year. The reservation fee helps pay the cost of storing and managing reserved water supplies. The total amount of water under contract with LCRA sets the Maximum Annual Quantity (MAQ). LCRA’s rate for use in excess of the MAQ – known as the “firm water inverted block fee” – is $310 an acre-foot per year.
LCRA municipal, industrial and large-scale irrigation water use customers are required to develop a water conservation plan and implement a drought contingency plan. LCRA must approve the plans before a water sale contract is executed.
Reference materials
- Firm Water Contract Rules
- Standard terms and conditions for standard firm water contracts
- LCRA 2019 Raw Water Conservation Plan
- Water Conservation Plan Rules for Water Sale Contracts
- LCRA Landscape Conservation Guidelines
- Spreadsheet for calculating utility baseline data
- Firm Customer Drought Contingency Plan
- Drought Contingency Plan Rules for Water Sale Contracts
- Firm Water Pro Rata Curtailment Rules
Landscape irrigation and recreation use
LCRA offers long-term landscape irrigation and recreation contracts to property owner associations, parks and commercial properties. The contracts are for up to 10 years and up to 30 acre-feet per year. LCRA’s rate for landscape irrigation and recreation use is $155 an acre-foot per year.
Landscape irrigation and recreation use water customers are required to develop a water conservation plan and a drought contingency plan. LCRA must approve the plans before a water sale contract is executed.
Reference materials
- Firm Water Contract Rules
- Standard terms and conditions for standard firm water contracts
- LCRA 2019 Raw Water Conservation Plan
- LCRA Landscape Conservation Guidelines
- Water Conservation Plan Rules for Water Sale Contracts
- Drought Contingency Plan for Domestic, Temporary, Landscape Irrigation and Recreational Use Contracts
- Drought Contingency Plan Rules for Water Sale Contracts
- Firm Water Pro Rata Curtailment Rules
Outdoor watering by landscape and irrigation customers is currently limited to no more than once per week.
Temporary raw water use
LCRA offers temporary water contracts for up to 10 acre-feet per year for up to three years. LCRA’s rate for temporary raw water use is $155 an acre-foot per year. There is a different contract and application process for temporary contracts for more than 10 acre-feet per year or longer than three years – see landscape irrigation and recreation use.
LCRA requires its temporary raw water use customers to implement a drought contingency plan. LCRA must approve the plan before a water sale contract is executed.
Reference materials
- Firm Water Contract Rules
- Drought Contingency Plan for Domestic, Temporary, Landscape Irrigation and Recreational Use Contracts
- Drought Contingency Plan Rules for Water Sale Contracts
Outdoor watering by temporary use customers is currently limited to no more than once per week.
Social Media