Water Utility Services

• No watering daily between 8 a.m. & 7 p.m.
• Odd numbered addresses may water Tuesdays & Saturdays.
• Even numbered addresses may water Wednesdays & Sundays.
• Business customers may water Mondays & Fridays.
• No watering on Thursdays. (Hand watering w/garden hose is allowed).
• Hand-watering allowed all days of the week.
• Residents & businesses may apply for a 30-day variance on newly planted grass/landscaping.
• Report violations & concerns through the MyWaco app (download from your app store). Select 'water & sewer concerns'. (Much appreciated because this helps us track.)
• Water Restrictions FAQs

• For the greatest impact to Lake Waco's water level, we need rainfall in its watershed. The watershed is a 90-mile stretch of water (the Bosque River) northwest of our lake. It is an area of land that drains or "sheds" rainfall into other bodies of water like rivers, creeks or lakes.
• However, not all water from a watershed flows out, so we need enough rain to saturate the groundwater and then run off into the lake. The health of Lake Waco depends on the watershed.
• The current lake level and upcoming forecasts determine the severity of our water restrictions. (Follow lake levels here.)
• The regional drought is still very much affecting our area, and unfortunately, water rationing will remain in effect to protect our most valuable regional water source.

• 2022 Conservation & Drought Action Plan(PDF, 2MB)
• Full Water Conservation & Drought Contingency Plan(PDF, 2MB)
• City Ordinance

The more you save, the less you pay PLUS our water supply lasts longer! Share these tips with others!

In the Bathroom:

• Be careful about what you flush.
• No wipes, paper towels, diapers or trash should ever be flushed down the toilet.
• Take shorter showers.
• Turn off the tap while you soap, shampoo, brush your teeth and shave.

Around the House:

• Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when they’re full and don’t over-soap to reduce the amount of rinsing you need.
• Only two tablespoons of detergent will clean 12 pounds of clothes!
• Defrost food in the refrigerator instead of under running water.
• There’s also no need to rinse meat from the store before using.
• Use a smaller amount of water to boil pasta—it totally works!

In the Yard:

• Use a broom to clear leaves and grass clippings from your sidewalks and porches, instead of a hose.
• Put the clippings around your flowers and shrubs as mulch.
• Learn about composting and give it a try to reduce evaporation from your topsoil.&
• Learn about rainwater harvesting to reuse water for gardening, pools and more.
• Consider zeroscaping and plant drought resistant, native plants and succulents. You’ll have some beautiful landscaping and save time on maintenance, too.

A Few More Tips:

• Find and fix leaks on your property. Repair running toilets and dripping faucets to protect your home, save you money and save water.
• Think about how you use water outside of your home, too. Use the same rules to wash your hands or flush the toilets around town. All the water comes from the same place, so it’s all precious!

Other Helpful Information:

• Texas Water Development Board
• Water IQ
• Texas Living Waters Project

Zebra Mussels are small, but they can be a big problem in Texas lakes. They cause problems for native wildlife, your Waco Water utility and lake visitors. They multiply rapidly, clog intake pipes and they're no fun to step on!

Lake Waco is Zebra Mussel-free, so how can you help it stay that way?

• Clean your boat with a high-pressure sprayer
• Drain all your live wells
• Dry your boat in the sunlight

Get Weather Info

If you can't get enough weather information or you have questions about how the weather effects our drought, there are answers out there. The Texas Water Development Board has a video series that can help answer those water and weather questions. Each month, they create videos that can keep you up to date on water conditions around the state. Check out the latest installment below or click the link on the right to see past videos.

Employee Spotlight: Construction Project Manager

Construction jobs have a lot of moving parts. Managing all the pieces to keep the project on track is a big ask, and our Construction Project Manager, Jason Scarborough is on the job.

In a project like the work on University Parks, there are multiple contractors to coordinate. Since different parts of the construction started at different times, someone has to make sure everyone has the same goal in mind. Repairing and renewing infrastructure is also part of the equation, so Jason coordinates with several City of Waco departments, Oncor and other stakeholders.

Every contractor and piece of equipment is jockeying for a finite amount of space, trying to ensure compliance with fire code and keeping the scope and timeline for the project in mind. Jason has to have a big picture view of the site including the details on the ground.

Wastewater Collection Hard at Work

The temperatures are rising, but Water Utility Services has lots of staff in the field every day. The Distribution and Collection team manages over 1000 miles of water lines and over 900 miles of wastewater lines. As Waco grows, maintaining and repairing the infrastructure has become a high priority. Using a combination of expertise, technology and in-the-field problem solving, these crews execute work orders all over town and get the job done.

To find a manhole that’s been covered by a driveway, the team finds the nearest visible manhole. They send their camera underground and along the sewer line. The camera either floats on small pontoons or rolls on wheels. The crew then uses a wand that locates the camera, so they can follow the line to the hidden manhole location. Members of the crew keep an eye on the video transmission while others mark the camera’s location along the line. Even under concrete and gravel, the crew is able to locate the manhole and prepare for the next steps of the project.

To set up new residential service or to transfer service, call (254) 299-CITY(2489)

Please give at least one business day's notice for new service.

You'll need:

• Your Texas Driver License number
• Your Social Security number

Residential security deposits are based on previous account history and credit history and range from $75 to $300.

$50 service fee and $12.50 solid waste administration fee will also be added to a new residential service bill.

Payments can be made using MasterCard, Visa and Discover.

If water, sewer and/or solid waste services are available at your address, charges will all be on the same bill. How convenient!

For information about new water or wastewater taps, please contact the following:

Residential Construction

• Sabrina Beck, New Construction Water & Wastewater Taps (254) 299-2464
• Garrett Gonzalez, Meter Services (254) 750-6643

Commercial

• Saeed Soltani (254) 750-8077

Water is vital to life! Your City of Waco Water Utility Services Department is committed to the protection of public health and to the quality management of water and wastewater services.

We do this through the divisions of:

• Water Distribution
• Wastewater Collection
• Water Treatment
• Water Quality Laboratory
• Water Office/Meter Shop
• Pretreatment
• Waco Metropolitan Area Regional Sewerage System (WMARSS)