Pflugerville Imposes Strict Water Limits as New Bypass Line Comes Online

Stage 3 restrictions expected to continue for at least 60 days as city works to refill Lake Pflugerville after pipeline breaks.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 10:07pm

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Pflugerville, Texas has installed a new 24-inch bypass waterline to bring raw water from the Colorado River to Lake Pflugerville, the city's primary water source. However, strict Stage 3 water restrictions that only allow indoor water use are expected to remain in place for at least 60 days as the city works to refill the lake, which dropped to historic lows due to a series of pipeline breaks over the past several months.

Why it matters

Pflugerville's water supply issues highlight the challenges that cities in drought-prone regions face in maintaining reliable water infrastructure and managing water resources, especially during periods of high demand and unexpected disruptions. The city's response, including activating backup wells and collaborating with a neighboring water supplier, demonstrates the importance of having diverse and resilient water sources.

The details

The new bypass waterline will deliver about 3 million gallons of water per day to Lake Pflugerville, which has dropped to a depth of 16.52 feet due to the pipeline breaks. Along with well water and water from the Manville Water Supply Corporation, the city is now able to supply about 8 million gallons per day, exceeding the current customer demand of 5 million gallons per day. However, city officials say the Stage 3 restrictions, which prohibit outdoor water use, will likely remain in place for at least 60 days to allow the lake to reach a depth of 19 feet.

  • The Stage 3 water restrictions started on March 4, 2026.
  • The new 24-inch bypass waterline began sending water to Lake Pflugerville on March 9, 2026.
  • Repairs to the 30-inch waterline that broke are ongoing, with the fourth break occurring on February 6, 2026.
  • Divers were sent into Lake Pflugerville in February 2026 to determine the lake level, which was found to be significantly lower than expected.
  • The City Council approved $52.9 million in bonds for a secondary waterline project in January 2026, and $27.2 million in bonds for a water treatment plant expansion.

The players

Pflugerville

A city in Texas that is facing water supply issues due to a series of pipeline breaks, leading to the implementation of strict Stage 3 water restrictions.

Matt Rector

The director of public utility and engineering for the city of Pflugerville.

Doug Weiss

The mayor of Pflugerville, who issued an emergency disaster declaration implementing Stage 3 water restrictions on March 4, 2026.

Manville Water Supply Corporation

A water supplier that is collaborating with the city of Pflugerville to help boost the water supply during the current crisis.

Colorado River

The source of the raw water being delivered to Lake Pflugerville through the new bypass waterline.

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What they’re saying

“Provided there are no additional issues with the existing raw waterline, and that Pflugerville water customers continue to conserve, the City anticipates that Stage 3 emergency water restrictions will persist until the lake level reaches a depth of 19 feet, which could require a minimum of 60 days.”

— Pflugerville City Officials

“We are trying to recover hundreds of millions of gallons of water.”

— Matt Rector, Director of Public Utility and Engineering, Pflugerville

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Pflugerville's water crisis highlights the importance of maintaining robust and resilient water infrastructure, as well as the need for proactive water conservation measures, especially in drought-prone regions. The city's response, including the installation of a bypass line and collaboration with neighboring suppliers, demonstrates the value of having diverse water sources and a comprehensive emergency plan.