The water level of Lake Pflugerville continues to rise after multiple breaks to the city’s Colorado River pipeline halted water flow into Pflugerville’s primary reservoir.

What’s new: At an April 28 City Council meeting, staff announced that the lake level has remained just above 633 feet, and the city will move into modified Stage 1 emergency water restrictions on May 1.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, hand watering of lawns and landscapes is allowed on designated watering days before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Vehicle washing is allowed on designated days using a bucket or hose with a shutoff nozzle. Use of water to wash, rinse or treat outdoor surfaces is prohibited, and swimming pools and hot tubs are allowed to operate normally, although pools may not be drained or refilled.

Additionally, fishing at Lake Pflugerville is allowed from the shore and piers, but lake swimming and boating will not be permitted until the lake reaches 634 elevation.

Luv Braces will open a new location in Hutto next month.

The overview: The orthodontic practice offers treatments for all ages to treat issues such as crowded teeth, gaps between teeth, crossbnets, underbites, overbites, protruding teeth and impacted teeth. Services include Invisalign, clear braces and metal braces. The practice also offers free consultations.

Luv Braces has two other locations in Austin and Bee Cave.

• Opening May 26

From road construction in Georgetown to a skatepark in Kyle, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Ronald Regan Boulevard Widening ($29.7 million): This project includes the construction of new lanes and intersection improvements on Ronald Reagan Boulevard, including drainage structures, bridges, retaining walls, lighting, signals and more.

2. Expo Center Park and Ride ($17.3 million): This project involves construction of a new park-and-ride. It will include bus bays and electric vehicle charging stations.

3. Round Rock ISD Hartfield PAC Renovation ($6 million): Construction will begin next year on a total roof replacement, mechanical equipment replacement, public address system upgrade, and interior other work, including replacement of flooring and wall finishes in the lobby and green room.

4. Gregg-Clarke Skatepark ($3.1 million): The Kyle skatepark will include approximately 34,000 square feet of concrete skatepark and pump track.

5. Creekview Vet Clinic ($2 million): Construction will begin in June on a vet clinic in New Braunfels.

The Travis Central Appraisal District has begun releasing 2026 property value appraisals to Travis County homeowners. 

While the county’s single-family home market values slightly decreased, homeowners may want to consider protesting their appraisal if they believe it is too high, said Taylor Smith, deputy director of government affairs for the Austin Board of Realtors, in an interview with Community Impact.

“Take a moment, look at your notice of appraised value that you received, confirm that your exemptions were applied correctly, and then consider protesting so that you can lower that even further for future savings down the line,” Smith said.

The overview: TCAD began mailing appraisal notices to more than 427,000 property owners in late March, according to TCAD information. 

If a property owner believes their appraisal is incorrect, they may file a protest through the TCAD's online portal by the May 15 deadline or 30 days after the notice was mailed. By lowering a property’s appraised value, homeowners can see property tax savings in this year and future fiscal years, Smith said.

Demand on the Texas power grid could more than quadruple in the next six years, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced April 15.

The details: The state grid operator projected that peak electric demand could hit 367,790 megawatts by 2032—more than four times the current demand record of 85,508 megawatts, which was set during an August 2023 heat wave. Much of this forecasted growth is due to data centers, according to ERCOT documents.

However, ERCOT leaders warned that the growth forecast is “preliminary” and needs adjustments.

What's happening: During an April 17 meeting, ERCOT officials told the Public Utility Commission of Texas that they plan to work with utility providers to issue a revised forecast in the coming weeks.

“I think it's clear we need to engage in the process and look at ways to refine this number to something that's more usable,” PUC Chair Thomas Gleeson said.

Stay tuned: ERCOT said it expects peak electric demand on the grid this summer will hit between 90,500-98,000 megawatts, which would shatter the current demand record.