Water Conservation

Leander is in Phase 2 of the city's Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan until further notice.

In Leander, we know the value of water. It's critical for personal and business needs and supports our landscapes. While our region is rapidly attracting population growth, the amount of water available remains the same. Periodic drought and growth test our water system and our supply drawn from Lake Travis.

In light of this, we ask our residents to use this resource carefully, whether or not we are in drought. There are four good reasons our residents should make water conservation a permanent habit:

• We need to protect the amount of supply available at all times. This puts us in the best position possible whenever drought or other contingencies appear.
• Conservation is proven to reduce water system costs in both the long and short term. These savings can lead to smaller rate increases.
• Conservation immediately reduces customer bills.
• Conservation is good for the environment. Plants and animals along the Colorado River and in the Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the river depend on a supply of fresh water, too.

The good news about all this is that conservation isn't about giving anything up. Conservation is about using the water you need, but not more. For more information, contact conservation program coordinator Bill Teeter via email or 512-528-2935.

Water Conservation Programs and Assistance

Leander WaterSense Partnership

City of Leander is a partner in the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program. WaterSense promotes products, practices and policies that help us save water. When shopping for bathroom or kitchen upgrades, consider buying items carrying the WaterSense label, which means the item is highly efficient and tested for functionality. Visit the WaterSense website for more information about conservation, including a product search link for WaterSense approved items.

Hire Qualified People to Fix Your Irrigation System

If you need to find someone to service or install a landscape irrigation system, be sure to hire only irrigators licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The license means the person is trained in how to design, install and maintain irrigation. Poor system design, incorrect installation or repairs by unqualified persons can result in significant water waste and higher water bills. To check an irrigator’s license status go to TCEQ Licensing website.

Learn About Water at the Library

The Leander Public Library is a great place to find books about water and water conservation. You can browse the Library website and navigate to the card catalog. Search "Water Conservation Titles" to find books on water policy and history, conservation and water scarcity, and gardening. The Library is located at 1011 S Bagdad Road.

Irrigation Evaluations

The City of Leander offers free irrigation evaluations by a qualified irrigation professional. The evaluation is designed to help our customers better understand their automatic sprinkler systems and how to run them more efficiently. If you would like to schedule an evaluation call the conservation program manager at 512-528-2935 or send an email request to Email Bill Teeter.

Rebates for Water Efficiency (LCRA)

Leander residents can benefit from a water efficiency rebate program offered by the Lower Colorado River Authority, the agency which supplies raw water to our city treatment plants. Rebates are offered for certain items to do upgrades to plumbing, sprinkler systems and swimming pools on existing properties. Rebates are also offered for some items related to lawn care. Learn more at the Rebates for Water Efficiency page.

Rain Barrel Sale & Pickup

ONLINE ORDERING NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Leander residents can contribute to water conservation efforts by purchasing a 50-gallon rain barrel available online at a discount. These barrels, supplied by our partner, Rain Water Solutions, have proper screening, a spigot and an overflow hose. They are made of a durable, ultraviolet light-resistant, recycled material. Cost of the barrels is $77.50 each. Deadline to place online orders was Sunday, October 15, at 11 pm. Barrel pickup is Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 8 am to noon at City of Leander Public Works, 607 N Municipal Drive. 

Conservation Articles

• Conserve Water with Rain Sensors (PDF)
• Conserve Water, Save Money by Preventing Sprinkler Overspray (PDF)
• Indoor Water Efficiency (PDF)
• Know How Your Irrigation Controller Works (PDF)
• Measuring How Fast Your Sprinkler System Applies Water (PDF)
• Monarch Butterfly Migration Time for Central Texas (PDF)
• Soil Quality Is Critical (PDF)
• Summer Irrigation Tips (PDF)
• Conserving water important in drought or not (PDF)
• Tackle Water Waste (PDF)
• Conserve water and save money by turning off sprinklers for winter (PDF)

Water Conservation Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for upcoming events 

Water Conservation Tips

Check your irrigation systems - Run your sprinkler stations briefly in daylight and check for the following problems:

• Broken heads and cracked nozzles
• Misdirected sprays causing over spray to paved areas
• Excessive time settings
• Runoff
• Pipe and dripline leaks
• Missing or non-working rain sensors
• Sprinkler heads that don't cover planted areas
• Misting (a sign of water-wasting excess pressure)

Check your toilet for leaks - Put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the coloring begins to appear in the bowl., you have a leak that may be wasting more than 100 gallons of water a day.

Don't use your toilet as a wastebasket - Every cigarette butt or tissue you flush away also flushes away five to seven gallons of water.

Take shorter showers - A typical shower uses five to ten gallons of water a minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rise off.

Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors - Your hardware or plumbing supply store stocks inexpensive shower heads or flow restrictors that will cut your shower flow to about three gallons a minute instead of five to 10. They are easy to install, and your showers will still be cleansing and refreshing.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth - Before brushing, wet your brush and fill a glass for rinsing your mouth.

Check faucets and pipes for leaks - Even a small drip can waste 50 or more gallons of water a day.

Use your automatic dishwasher for full loads only - Every time you run your dishwasher, you use about 25 gallons of water.

Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables - Rinse your vegetables instead in a bowl or sink full of clean water.