LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority (BCRUA) contractors shut off a 36-inch pipeline in Lake Travis Wednesday morning to repair a leak found in August. With repairs taking up to two weeks to fix, the City of Leander is asking customers to conserve as much water as they can to avoid depleting resources.

On its Facebook page, the City of Leander posted daily water usage updates, comparing how closely customers could stick to its goal of only using 9 million gallons of water a day.

The page reported on the morning of the shutoff, only 7.6 million gallons had been used. The post praises community members for their conservation efforts. Photos of a barge and crane were also posted in the update.

General Manager of BCRUA Karen Brody said because this leak is under the surface of Lake Travis, thankfully no water is truly being wasted.

“Since it’s underwater it is going right back into the lake where it came from,” said Brody. “But we don’t want to keep operating like that.”

This repair comes just a day after Williamson County commissioners approved a $5 million project with the BCRUA to build a new underwater pipeline that would support water for Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock. That project is not expected to begin until early next year.

Precinct 2 commissioner Cynthia Long said it’s just a coincidence the repair and approval of funding are taking place right after the other. However, she said both highlight the importance of access to this resource truly is.

“We are at the table talking with those water suppliers, because it is an essential piece of our infrastructure and an absolute necessary thing for the county’s survival and growth in the future,” said Long.

The $5 million for the 1,500 feet pipeline replacement project is being led by BCRUA.

As the shutoff persists, Leander’s Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant will be the “sole supplier” of treated drinking water for customers. Because of this, the city encourages the public to keep following water conservation guidelines.