August 6, 2003

Northeast Lakeway Water Customers

Re:       Water Pressure
            Even-Odd Irrigation Scheduling and Irrigation Timing

The Lakeway Municipal Utility District does not have a water shortage or production limitation.  However, several of your neighbors in the northeast area of Lakeway have recently reported low water pressure to the District.  Our analysis shows that this low pressure occurs in the highest elevation areas and in the early morning hours between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.   The prime cause of the lower pressure at this time is the increased consumption from lawn irrigation, which occurs then.  Many of you have your automatic sprinkler systems set to irrigate during this time period.  The low pressure at these times is caused by the heavy irrigation demand.  There are two simple ways that you could help improve pressure for yourself and your neighbors.  These two methods do not require any restriction on the amount of water you use, only when you use it. 

1.       Irrigate your lawns on an Even-Odd schedule.  This means that you irrigate on even calendar days if your address is an even number, and likewise if you have an odd numbered street address. 

2.       Half of you start irrigating at 9 p.m. and finish irrigation by 2 a.m. and the other half irrigate from 2 a.m. until 7 a.m.   If your address ends with a 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 then begin irrigation at 9 p.m. and if it ends with a 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, then begin irrigation at 2 a.m.

These two simple measures will increase water system pressure in your area without restricting the amount of water you can use.  Adopting this irrigation schedule immediately will serve everyone’s best interest.

To summarize, if your address ends with:

0, 2, or 4          irrigate on even days beginning at 9 p.m. ending by 2 a.m.
6 or 8               irrigate on even days beginning at 2 a.m. ending by 7 a.m.
1 or 3               irrigate on odd days beginning at 9 p.m. ending by 2 a.m.
5, 7 or 9           irrigate on odd days beginning at 2 a.m. ending by 7 a.m.

Please adapt these schedules on a voluntary basis.  We will observe the results, both in voluntary compliance and in improvements in pressure.

Sincerely,

Richard W. Eason
General Manager