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Save Abilene Water
How Can You Help Save Water in Abilene?
The City of Abilene works to conserve water throughout the year using what's called Year Round Water Use Management.
The system and its stages are dependent upon water levels at Lake Fort Phantom Hill. When Lake Fort Phantom Hill has risen to less than 5 feet below the spillway, watering can be expanded to three times per week.
Abilene is currently in a 3-day-a-week watering stage. Please refer to the chart below to see your designated days for watering.
City officials still encourage residents to conserve water by watering their lawn once every seven days on one of the designated water days.
3-Day a Week Watering Schedule
When Lake Fort Phantom is less than 5 feet below spillway:
Locations | Watering Days | Times |
---|---|---|
Odd Number Addresses | Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday | Midnight to 10 am and 6 pm to Midnight |
Even Number Addresses | Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday | Midnight to 10 am and 6 pm to Midnight |
Industrial, commercial, government customers, public and private schools, and universities | Monday, Wednesday, and Friday | Midnight to 10 am and 6 pm to Midnight |
Contact Save Abilene Water
Have questions regarding the water ordinance, current conservation status, or other? Contact Save Abilene Water by sending us an email.
Questions regarding a water bill? Please visit our online payment portal or call 325-676-6405.
Water Quality & Annual Reports
Read the 2021 Water Quality Report (PDF)
The City of Abilene is committed to keeping each resident and business informed on the latest news concerning our water resources and educating on conservation, processes and services provided.
Each year, the City of Abilene provides residents and businesses with a water quality report that summarizes the quality of water provided to customers, based on data from the most recent Environment Protection Agency (EPA)-required tests. Through vigilant oversight, the City of Abilene's Water Utilities Department is dedicated to providing high-quality, safe water.
Water Sources
It begins with the city's reservoirs, which provide good-quality raw water. Along the water's journey into customers' homes and businesses, trained, certified operators consistently work to meet stringent water quality standards. Water is analyzed in all stages of production, from the city's creeks, lakes, treatment plants, and distribution system, ensuring that it is safe to drink. We are proud to report that our drinking water meets or exceeds all United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water requirements.
Report
The report summarizes the quality of the water the city provides, as well an annual report of information about the water utilities department and its various functions. We hope this information helps you become more knowledgeable about what is in your drinking water.
If you would like more information about Abilene's water quality, water assessments and protection efforts, please call the City of Abilene's environmental laboratory at 325-676-6041.
Water Conservation History in Abilene
Abilene experienced it's greatest day of water consumption in July 1980, when 49 million gallons of water was used. There were no limits or conservation plans in place for water customers. By 1985, the Texas Legislature recognized that conservation was much more economical then developing new water resources and made it a key factor in granting water permits.
Water Strategy
Drought conditions in the late 1980s and again in 1999 to 2000 spurred city leaders to plan for Abilene's future water needs. Their strategy had three primary components:
- The purchase of water from a third reservoir, Lake O.H. Ivie, 86 miles south of Abilene.
- Development of a new reclaimed water use program that provided treated wastewater effluent to large irrigation customers, such as golf courses, parks, and universities, which previously used drinking water to nourish their green spaces.
- The creation of Abilene's water conservation plan - based on best practices and developed in cooperation with master gardeners, landscape professionals, and city staff. Our water conservation plan enables residents to save millions of gallons of water every year.
These measures have helped Abilene save billions of gallons of water. In 2011, we had the single worst climate year in our history with high temperatures and drought. However, the changes worked. In 2011, only 37 million gallons of water were used on our peak day. For the entire year of 2011, the city used 1 billion fewer gallons than we did in 1998 and we even had 14,000 more residents.
Recent & Current Projects
Today, the Big Country continues to face new, ongoing drought conditions. The City of Abilene is once again taking a leadership role to provide additional water supplies to the region. Our strategy includes projects to provide additional water now, over the next few years (as conditions require), and for future generations to come. Recent and current projects include:
- An expansion of our reclaimed water use program constructed a brand new, state-of-the-art Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility to take an average of 7 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) of the existing treated wastewater effluent and provide additional treatment, to include reverse osmosis. It is being released back into Lake Fort Phantom Hill where it will undergo nature's biological treatment process and add to our water supplies.
- The City of Abilene is making arrangements to purchase additional water supplies from Possum Kingdom Reservoir. This project includes the necessary pipeline and treatment facilities to respond to changing drought conditions into the foreseeable future.
- An expansion of the City's water treatment facilities for Lake O.H. Ivie is increasing the total production capacity of the Hargesheimer Water Treatment Plant. This will make the treatment plant more efficient and allow for the treatment of more water from this vital water supply source.
- Finally, the City of Abilene is diligently working to acquire the necessary State and Federal permits to construct a new reservoir on the Brazos River. Cedar Ridge Reservoir is being proposed northwest of Albany and will provide new water supplies to the entire region. Once permitted and constructed, Cedar Ridge will provide new water supplies to the region for generations to come.
Thanks to the support of Abilene residents and businesses, we are proud of how our city continues to adapt to drought conditions, a growing population, and increasing demands on our water supply.
Bath Vs ShowerWe may think a bath saves more water than a shower, but actually, an average bath uses 36 gallons of water verses a 10-minute shower that uses 25 gallons. To conserve, plug the drain as soon as the bath water is turned on and adjust the temperature while its running. | |
Brush Teeth with Faucet offWe use 5 gallons of water when we leave the faucet running each time we brush our teeth. By turning the faucet off, you will save 2 gallons of water a minute. Also, consider adding a low-flow aerator to the faucet. | |
Consider a Shorter ShowerA shower uses 2.5 gallons of water a minute. Any shower longer than 10 minutes is wasteful. To conserve, install water-saving showerheads, shower timers, and low-flow faucet aerators, and take shorter showers. | |
Dishwasher - Make It a Full LoadWhether a full or partial load, each run uses 15 gallons of water. To save water, wait for a full load before running the dishwasher. | |
Laundry Uses Second Most WaterThe average family does 400 loads of laundry a year and is where we use the second most amount of household water. To save, wait till the washer is full before running a load, and consider getting with a high efficiency washing machine. | |
Prevent over-Watering Your LawnMost don't realize, when it comes to keeping your lawn green and lush, your grass only needs an inch of water a week. Fifteen minutes per sprinkler station should be more than sufficient. | |
Toilets Use the Most WaterThe standard toilet uses 3.5 gallons of water per flush. To conserve, do not use it as a trash can, consider an eco-friendly toilet or retrofit device, and check for leaks, which can waste 100 gallons of water a day. |