exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Two ranches also allege biosolids with ‘forever chemicals’ ruined crops, polluted drinking water and left their properties worthless.

Fulshear City Council approved a $1.02 million installation contract with Aqua Metric at a Feb. 20 meeting supporting the Water Meter and Reading System Upgrade Program. According to the agenda packet, these new devices will be able to communicate data directly to the city and will improve efficiency of water use recordings. 

The fires began Monday but spread quickly the following day as strong winds, dry conditions and record-setting unseasonably high temperatures fueled rapid growth. By Wednesday, the largest blaze, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, stretched across 850,000 acres – about 1,300 square miles – through several counties and into neighboring Oklahoma, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The Paradise City Council Monday approved an increase to the city’s water rates, with plans to use the increase in revenue to cover the cost of water main repairs, as well as other maintenance projects in the future. After discussing four proposed rate increase options, the council chose to increase the base rate by $5 and flow rates by 15 percent. 

The Texas Water Development Board reported that drought conditions across the state worsened overall for the first time in five weeks, according to the most recent “Water Weekly” update. Further, officials noted that for the first time in more than 23 years, water supply reservoirs in Amarillo were in better condition than those in Austin.

Beginning March 1, the city of Pflugerville will enter Stage 1 of drought restrictions, limiting watering to only one day per week. The city's goal is to reduce the average daily water use by 10%. 

Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration today for widespread wildfire activity in 60 Texas counties, including those in the Panhandle. According to a press release, Gov. Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate additional state emergency response resources to support firefighters across the state. All 26 counties in the Texas Panhandle are included in the disaster declaration.

Leander water customers need to reduce their use until April because of repairs to a pipeline. The available water will be cut by nearly two-thirds.

The Westside Creeks Restoration Project, a significant environmental rehabilitation effort, seeks to restore the natural beauty and ecological function of four urban creeks - San Pedro, Apache, Alazán, and Martinez - that were channelized in the mid-20th century. This ambitious endeavor not only aims to enhance the city's green spaces but also to reconnect the community with its waterways, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world amidst the urban landscape.

Jeanna Maughan, Jan Price and Nancy Lacy all live on or near the Brazos River. Naturally, they’d have concerns about Waco’s future wastewater facility being built along the river.

Martin Water is building an oil and gas waste recycling facility next to the Circle 6 Baptist Camp in the Permian Basin despite concerns about water and air pollution.

Have you seen this snail? Texas Parks says this invasive "mystery" snail could cause big problems if introduced in the wild.

Utility customers’ water rates might jump about 50% during the next five years to help fund a $130 million sewer system overhaul. Now, city commissioners are considering proposed water and sewer rate hikes that could boost average monthly bills for customers using 3,000 gallons on 5/8-inch meters from the current $30.55 to as much as $63.52 by 2028.

The fastest growing city in the country will run out of water from its current source, according to a new city report. Georgetown, which is home to more than 86,000 people as of 2022, will need to find a new water source by 2030.

A group of concerned Waco community members formed the group Protect Lake Brazos and want answers from the city about a wastewater treatment plant. The city approved a $4.3 million plan last year to build the plant in the Chalk Bluff community.

31 Texas state parks will be in the line of totality.

As the city continues to grow, Kyle City Council is looking to begin building a plan to address short-term and long-term water supply issues with a Water Master Plan. The city’s long-term water plan is for 50 years of future water needs. It’s short-term plan looks to address water supply issues through 2028.

The SJRA monitors water quality in the San Jacinto basin, provides water to municipal utility districts and other entities, and operates the Lake Conroe Dam. The funding request was submitted by U.S Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, to address flood mitigation efforts in south Montgomery County. 

The city of Copperas Cove will likely look to make improvements to its wastewater treatment system in the future, following recommendations by RJN Group, which spent the last 18 months doing a deep analysis of how well the system operated. 

The state of Texas will receive $358,980,000 to upgrade drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The funding is part of an over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from a Biden administration Bipartisan Infrastructure law, a release about the funding said.