Education & Outreach
Austin Water offers community education programs on water conservation, environmental stewardship, irrigation and protecting our wastewater system. We work to help Austinites understand where their water comes from, how to use it wisely and how everyday choices affect the health of our creeks, lakes and pipes.
Community Education Programs
Pouring cooking oil or grease down the drain sticks to the insides of the wastewater pipes, and creates a gooey-gross Grease Blob. The more you feed him the bigger he gets until he causes a monster of a clog. Help stop the Grease Blob from causing expensive repairs, foul odors and sanitary sewer overflows! Learn how to dispose of cooking grease properly and protect your pipes and the sewer system on the Stop the Grease Blob page.
Flushing anything other than human waste and toilet paper can cause sewage backups, damage to home plumbing and problems for the sewer and water treatment system. See the Only Flush Toilet Paper page for more information and resources.
Austin Water offers free irrigation system inspections for residential customers. A trained specialist visits your property to check for leaks, assess sprinkler coverage and recommend adjustments to improve efficiency and reduce water use.
Pouring cooking oil or grease down the drain sticks to the insides of the wastewater pipes, and creates a gooey-gross Grease Blob. The more you feed him the bigger he gets until he causes a monster of a clog. Help stop the Grease Blob from causing expensive repairs, foul odors and sanitary sewer overflows! Learn how to dispose of cooking grease properly and protect your pipes and the sewer system on the Stop the Grease Blob page.
Flushing anything other than human waste and toilet paper can cause sewage backups, damage to home plumbing and problems for the sewer and water treatment system. See the Only Flush Toilet Paper page for more information and resources.
Austin Water offers free irrigation system inspections for residential customers. A trained specialist visits your property to check for leaks, assess sprinkler coverage and recommend adjustments to improve efficiency and reduce water use.
The Dowser Dan School Assembly Program teaches school-age kids where water comes from and how to conserve it. Since its premiere in 1991, the program has grown to reach approximately 22,000 students throughout Austin Water's service area every year. From October through June, the Dowser Dan show tours more than 155 public and private elementary schools across six school districts including Austin ISD.
Austin Water's Speakers Bureau provides conservation staff for presentations on water conservation, irrigation, leak detection and water efficiency. Speakers are available seven days a week for presentations to audiences including neighborhood and homeowners associations, environmental groups, nonprofit organizations, schools and business groups. Austin Water also participates in festivals, school events and community fairs.
Austin Water's Center for Environmental Research hosts a monthly lecture series covering aspects of Austin's ecology. Lectures are free and open to the public.