Austin Water reports lower summer per‑person use, launches community conservation grants and rebates

Kevin Kluge, water conservation division manager at Austin Water, told the Resource Management Commission that the utility’s third‑quarter implementation report — covering July through September — shows a drop in per‑person water use and several new programs aimed at reducing demand and losses.

"By July 1 we were looking at lakes being 50% full and possibly moving into stage 3 restrictions," Kluge said. "Then heavy rains in the hill country raised Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis to about 90% full, and that changed the quarter dramatically." He said the city recorded 141 gallons per capita daily (GPCD) in Q3, down from 147 in Q3 2024 and well below earlier summers of 160 and 163.

The presentation highlighted several implementation items. Austin Water launched a conservation community mini‑grant program offering awards of up to $3,000 to nonprofit neighborhood groups; applications are open through November 30 with award decisions targeted for roughly February so recipients can plan spring and summer activities. Kluge said the program is modeled after the Office of Sustainability’s Bright Green Future mini‑grants and is intended for small, local organizations.

Kluge also described commercial rebate activity: four commercial (multifamily) rebates in the quarter that…