u/PflugerMel

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback regarding the proposed Lake Pflugerville and park rule changes discussed at the 5/12/26 City Council meeting. Several changes were made following resident input and Council discussion.

Updates approved for Lake Pflugerville include:

• 24/7 fishing access language was added back

• Electric motor fishing boats/trolling motors will continue to be allowed

• Park (Beach, pavilion, and playground) hours will be 5 AM – 9 PM

• The trail surrounding the lake continues to remain open 24 hours per day (this was not a proposed change but I needed to clarify what the park hours affected)

• Restrictions related to alcohol, amplified sound, commercial activity, tents/shelters 10 ft spacing, and other park uses were approved.

Staff shared that the proposed alcohol restrictions were partly driven by increasing attendance, 911 calls, incidents involving intoxicated patrons, and conflicts between groups over amplified sound during busy summer weekends and holidays at Lake Pflugerville. The city wants local residents to feel safe using the lake amenities.

Regarding the earlier closing time, staff explained that although the park officially closed at 10 PM, it often took an additional 1–2 hours for large groups and parties to fully exit the area. The revised 9 PM closing time is intended to allow the park to clear earlier and reduce late-night impacts.

The proposed grill restriction (only using city provided grills) was not approved yet and will return on the 5/26/26 meeting for additional discussion regarding safety along with the broader park rule changes.

Council also discussed concerns related to e-bikes and other single rider/tandem motorized vehicles on trails. Revisions are expected to focus on a 12 mph speed limit and safe operation requirements. This is an issue many park systems across the country are currently trying to address as motorized device use on trails continue to increase.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to review the proposals and provide feedback.

Revised park rule changes for items noted above will be posted on 5/20/26 for consideration on 5/26/26.

I highly encourage residents to email council if you have feedback so that all council members hear directly from you.

Here are a few key updates shared during the Pflugerville City Council recent water system discussion:

• Modified Stage 1 water restrictions will remain in place due to treatment capacity limitations and the planned pump station shutdown.

• Lake Pflugerville is currently near/full level at approximately 635.5 ft, so the temporary bypass pumping line is currently turned off.

• Recent rain washed away some of the blocks/supports holding portions of the temporary bypass line in place, so other methods of securing the line are being pursued.

• Construction continues on the 42" secondary raw water line and related pump station work.

• Materials for the permanent 30" raw water line repair are expected around 5/20/26. Current work includes field preparation, dewatering, and coordinating installation through the tunnel area.

• Staff explained the planned pump station shutdown is primarily needed for switchboard/electrical work. Even if the 42" line connection and permanent 30" repair are not fully completed during the initial two-week shutdown, the remaining work can be completed afterward without requiring another full pump station shutdown.

• Another current concern is preserving the aging water treatment plant membranes until the expansion project is completed in approximately six months. Replacing the existing membranes would cost about $1 million and take around six months to receive, while the expansion will use a different membrane system.

• Because of that, the City is trying to limit treatment volumes to roughly 4–5 million gallons per day when possible to preserve the remaining life of the existing membranes.

• At this stage, the primary concern is no longer simply lake level, but maintaining enough treatment capacity while protecting aging infrastructure until the plant expansion comes online.

I’ll continue sharing updates as work progresses and additional timelines become clearer. Thank you to everyone continuing to conserve water and stay engaged throughout this process.