Austin Watershed Implements Measures to Combat Toxic Algae in Lady Bird Lake

Austin Water's pipes leaked over 6.9 billion gallons of treated water in 2022, an increase of more than 400 million gallons compared to the previous year. While this amount is less than the city's all-time high in 2020, it is still enough to fill Lady Bird Lake nearly three times. The leaks were within an acceptable range according to the infrastructure leakage index, but the city acknowledges the need to reduce losses. Austin Water has implemented a water loss control program, including pipe renewal and smart meter installations, and is in the process of replacing analog meters with smart meters to reduce apparent losses. The city received an infrastructure leakage index grade of 4.09, aiming to achieve a score below 3 in the next few years.