(CNN) Officials in Texas' capital city thanked residents for cutting water consumption so that treatment plants could catch up with demand, as historic flooding continues to muck up lakes that supply the region's tap water.

The outlook in Austin on Tuesday afternoon was far improved, as citizens heeded a call to cut consumption by at least 15%. Plants were producing more treated water than was being consumed and reservoirs were refilling, officials said at a briefing.

"The good news is that you heard us and it's working," said City Manager Spencer Cronk. "But we are asking you to keep your water conservation efforts."

City leaders said Monday in a statement that emergency conservation was required. A boil-water advisory remained in effect Tuesday, as the city works to filter "much higher levels of debris, silt, and mud" from the Highland Lakes.

But leaders now say the problem may be resolved in days, rather than weeks, as initially feared.