Water
 
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'Firm' water supply contracts
Contracts provide customers with reliable water supplies

LCRA sells water to customers through contracts and resolutions approved by LCRA's Board of Directors. 

By obtaining a contract from LCRA, cities, industries and homeowners in the lower Colorado River basin may secure a supply of "firm" water that is available even during dry periods that are equal to the worst drought on record.

newDownload the latest list of customers with firm water contracts (pdf).

Rates
newLearn more about a proposed rate increase. View the Raw Water Rate Study and Raw Water Frequently Asked Questions.

LCRA charges $126 an acre-foot for firm water actually used and $63 an acre-foot per year for firm water reserved for future use. The reservation fee helps pay LCRA's cost of storing and managing the reserved water supplies.

LCRA has several types of uses under its water sale contracts:

  • Municipal
  • Industrial
  • Agricultural
  • Recreational
  • Domestic use
  • Other beneficial uses authorized by law

Domestic water use from the Highland Lakes
Water from the Highland Lakes is not legally available, even for owners of nearby property, without a water right permit or an LCRA contract. LCRA has a three-year contract available for property owners who want to pump water from one of the lakes for domestic uses. (See resources sidebar to the right for links to documents.)

For more information or to obtain an application packet, please contact LCRA Water Contracts.

Water Supply Resource Plan

Water Supply Resource Plan

LCRA is seeking public input as an important step in preparing a long-term water supply plan, which will be LCRA’s roadmap for how it will meet water needs in the future. Join the conversation!

Resources

DOMESTIC USERS
Residential property owners can obtain a three-year contract from LCRA to pump water from one of the lakes. These are "firm" contracts, meaning the water is reserved even during severe drought conditions. The following documents provide more information on applying for a contract.

commercial & other users
  • Water contract administrative rules: Rules that govern how LCRA administers contracts for new and existing water customers, with the exception of LCRA Irrigation District customers.
  • Firm Water Contract: In order to secure a firm water supply from the Highland Lakes or the lower Colorado River, LCRA requires customers such as municipalities and golf courses to secure a contract. Download a sample contract.
  • Temporary Raw Water Agreement Packet: A temporary water sale agreement may be used for construction projects, irrigation of common areas or other small operations requiring less than 10 acre-feet of water a year for no more than three years. Download a sample agreement.

PLANNING DOCUMENTS

Water conservation planning for wholesale water customers and other users

Drought planning for wholesale water customers and other users

  • Drought contingency plan rules for water sale contracts (PDF ): Municipal retail, wholesale and all non-LCRA irrigation division customers are required to implement a drought contingency plan in accordance with these rules. These plans must be approved by LCRA before a water sale contract can be executed.
  • Model drought contingency plan rules: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has developed model drought contingency plans. These also meet LCRA requirements.

Need more information? Contact LCRA at water@lcra.org.

IRRIGATION CONTRACTS

Note: Some of the documents above require Adobe's free Acrobat software. Help downloading PDF documents.