Water Department ~ (830) 997-3359

Superintendent - Tony Hawley

Assistant Superintendent - Larry Peacock

Organizational Chart
(Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Why is my water bill so high?

Water/Wastewater Rates

Drought Contingency Plan

"The City of Fredericksburg Water Department is a municipally-owned, customer oriented organization providing water and wastewater services for its customers in an economical and reliable way consistently meeting or exceeding industry standards and practices."

The City of Fredericksburg Water Department provides potable drinking water to the citizens of the city and to a limited number of Gillespie County residents who live or have businesses near the corporate limits of the city. 

The City of Fredericksburg's distribution system contains more than 50 miles of transmission mains or pipelines. Pipeline materials consist primarily of Ductile Iron and PVC, with sizes ranging from 4" to 16". There are more than 950 valves located in the system that permit our distribution crew to isolate sections of pipeline during repairs, maintenance, and improvements. Beginning the summer of 1987, the first lines were laid to replace antiquated mains within the system. In an ongoing water main replacement program, the majority of leaded cast iron pipe are being replaced with more serviceable PVC pipe. 

The City of Fredericksburg has 4 storage tanks with a total capacity of 3 million gallons. Most are above ground free-standing metal tanks built in the late 70's and early 80's.  Tanks in separate areas have been designed to simplify arrangements for feeding the distribution system in multiple ways to minimize any interruption of service in the event of a water main break. Every tank in the distribution system is isolated and taken out of service every other year to be cleaned. A program was also established to repaint and refurbish each tank. Within the last tens years all of the freestanding tanks have been repainted. Cathodic Protection has also been installed in many tanks to prevent further damage and maintain structural integrity.

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The City utilizes high service pumps to pump water into the distribution system.  These pump stations then transport the water to storage tanks at higher elevations. From there water is supplied to homes and businesses by gravity feed. These pumps are controlled by a SCADA system to insure that an adequate supply of water is available at all times.

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The City of Fredericksburg has  fire hydrants located throughout the City limits. Our distribution crew has an ongoing program to replace  older model fire hydrants each year. These replacements are above and beyond those hydrants installed during the City's water main replacement program. Fire hydrant valves are exercised on a routine basis to insure proper operation. A recent survey was conducted to determine the fire insurance classification for the City. This evaluation confirmed that a class 6 fire rating continues to apply. The survey consisted of selecting 15 residential and business sites within the City and testing the water flow and pressure at each individual hydrant. All testing sites passed the requirements for adequate fire protection. The City received an excellent rating. and achieved a total of 35 credits out of a total of 40 attainable for an adequate water supply available for fighting fires.

The City of Fredericksburg Wastewater Treatment Plant has a rated plant capacity of 2 million gallons a day (MGD). In 1987 water production was at 350 MG per year. Production has steadily increased over the last 10 years. In 1996, 733 million gallons were produced at the plant. Normally, 1,000,000 gallons are produced on an average day during the winter months. Water production during the summer months averages between 2.5 to 3 million gallons a day. In 1997 our lowest production day was 668,000 gallons in January, and the plant peaked with 6 million gallons produced on a hot day in July!

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The citizens of Fredericksburg are very proud of their yards and gardens.  Consequently, water consumption in the City of Fredericksburg has grown steadily. This is due to the growth of the community and the lack of rainfall over the past few years. The heat of the summer is just around the corner. Here are some easy ways to conserve water and save money at home:

Use Efficient Outside Watering Practices:

1. Plant native vegetation. Once established, which usually takes two years, these plants require less frequent watering
2. Water grass only when needed. This is the number one source of residential water waste. If grass springs up after being walked on, it does not need watering.
3. Soak grass long enough for water to reach the roots. WATER SLOWLY AND DEEPLY. Many people that have automatic sprinkler systems water every other day and for a short period of time. This is WRONG. Water less often and for a longer period of time to promote deep root growth.
4. Water during the cool hours of the day, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. to minimize water loss by evaporation and discourage disease. Do not water on windy days.
5. Use sprinklers that produce droplets instead of mist and that have a low trajectory. This type of sprinkler will lose less water by evaporation and be less affected by the wind.
6. Use drip irrigation systems for shrubs, flowerbeds, and other frequently watered areas.
7. During the summer, keep the grass about 2" - 3" high. This height shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than does a closely clipped lawn.
8. Do not water streets and sidewalks. Adjust the hose or sprinkler until it waters just the grass or shrubs.

2 .  The second most likely cause is inefficient plumbing. That’s right, your toilet is not doing its job correctly. When plumbing goes awry, there may not be any external sign, such as a pool of water on your bathroom floor.

Find Water Leaks

Water leaks can easily account for 10% of a water bill and waste both water and energy if the source is a hot water tap. A silent leak caused by a corroded flush valve in your toilet can waste as much as 10 gallons of water an hour or over 7,000 gallons a month! This equates to over $100 per year "going down the drain". Here are some indicators that you have a leaky toilet:

•   you have to jiggle your toilet handle
•   a slight rippling is found under the lid
  
  If you suspect a leak, drop food coloring inside the tank and leave it undisturbed for a few hours.  If the food coloring seeps into your toilet bowl...You’ll Know You Have A Leak.
  
  Here’s a handy chart to help you gauge just how much excess water you’re paying for when leaks occur.

An efficient water-saving shower head should have a flow rate of 3 gallons or less a minute. The standard showerhead uses 5-10 gallons a minute. Replacing your present showerhead with a water-saving type could save you as much as 75 gallons of water during a normal 10-minute shower.

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