August 20, 2001

Re:       Water Pressure Update

Dear Lakeway Water Customers:

As you know, several of your neighbors in the northeast area of Lakeway have reported low water pressure to us.  We sent information on this situation to all of our customers in a letter dated July 19, 2001.  This letter is a follow-up for your information. 

Lakeway Municipal Utility District does not have a shortage of water even though we are continuing to provide a substantial volume of water to our neighboring water supplier, Water Control and Improvement District #17.  Their production plant is under construction for expansion of capacity and they have instituted mandatory rationing.  This additional demand on our facilities has caused lower reserve levels in our elevated storage tanks and has reduced the pressure in our distribution system.  This results in lower pressures in our system with the worst problems being in the northeast area.  If we were to stop providing water to District #17, some of their customers would be without water.  Providing this water to them, even at some hardship to our customers, ensures that we will have access to their water when we have an emergency. 

We have gathered and analyzed much information on the pressure problem, and have developed a solution.  An explanation follows:  Our water distribution system is comprised of three sections serving the southwest, central/northeast and southeast areas of Lakeway.  The central/northeast area includes the area where pressures have been lowest.  The central/northeast area receives water from pumps at the water production plant located on the west side of Lakeway.  Treated water for the central/northeast area is stored in two elevated tanks, one is in west Lakeway on Eagle and the other is on Twin Hills Court not far from the Lakeway Elementary School.  Automatic controls currently pump water to the western tank and when it is full, shut off the pumps at the production plant.  During normal water demand, water flows from the west tank to the central tank and to all the customers in the central/northeast area.  Controls then refill the west tank.  When the west tank is full and the automatic controls have stopped the pumps, high water demand in the northeast can cause the central tank to be nearly empty.  This causes a reduction in pressure.  Our solution will install an automatic valve at the west tank, and moves the pump controls to the central tank.  This new valve will isolate the west tank when it is full, while the revised controls continue pumping until the central tank fills.  This will result in higher water pressures throughout the central/northeast area and should solve the acute low-pressure problem in the northeast area.  District #17’s water needs will then have less impact on our distribution system pressures.

This solution should be implemented and operational by Friday, August 24, 2001.

Again, the District does not have a water shortage or production limitation.  However, you can continue to help us manage demand by irrigating your lawns on an Even-Odd schedule.  This means that you irrigate on even calendar days if your address ends in an even number, and likewise, water on odd numbered calendar days if you have an odd numbered street address.  This will increase our system pressure without restricting the amount of water you can use.  Adopting the Even-Odd irrigation schedule will serve everyone’s best interest.

We will continue to monitor the situation.  Thanks for your cooperation and forbearance.

Sincerely,
Richard Eason,
General Manager