exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Even as drought and population growth strain the water supply in Central and South Texas, residents and businesses getting theirs from Canyon Lake should be set for at least the next decade, according to the water utility that serves them. After a year that starved Texas of water and hit it with record-high temperatures, Canyon Lake sank to its lowest level since 2011, when it fell below 79 percent of its capacity. Since January 2022, the lake has dropped 10 feet — from nearly full to nearly 80 percent of its capacity.

Texas' population is estimated to increase by more than 70% over the next 50 years, from over 29 million people in 2020 to more than 51 million by 2070. With that population increase comes the need for more water, and about 45% of the water needed to sustain that population will need to come from conservation and reuse.

Construction of a controversial pipeline that would connect Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake is scheduled to begin in 2025, a Brazos River Authority official told Killeen City Council members. “It’s meant for flood control, and that water’s got to be slowly released,” Brunett said, regional manager of central and lower basins for the Brazos River Authority. 

2022 was one of the driest years on record for Texas, and about 49% of the state was still in drought conditions at the end of December. The drought resulted in failed crops, low yields for farmers and diminished grazing, which forced ranchers to cull their cattle and led to the highest amount of livestock sold — nearly 2.7 million — in more than a decade.

The city of Bells announced Tuesday that all citizens and businesses in the city are required to boil their water until further notice. The water leak was repaired by Wednesday, however, the city advised residents to continue to boil their water. 

Drinking water in Baytown may be affected by a wastewater spill officials said happened Friday morning because of the rain the Houston area received this week. The area potentially affected by the spill includes the Goose Creek receiving stream. 

The $21 million from ARPA would be used by Shenandoah to make improvements to the existing sewer and water infrastructure, which has been in serious disrepair and service for an extended period of time. The plan would bring water lines and hook ups directly to each home in the area, as well as implement a clean sewage system.

The Canyon Lake Water Service Company will have enough water supply to meet increased demand in the next decade, according to the utility’s report approved by the Comal County Commissioners. The system provides water for more than 69,000 people in the county.

Wichita Falls has entered Stage 1 Drought Watch water usage restrictions. That happened because the combined water levels of the city's two primary reservoirs dipped below 65 percent. 

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed City of Midland customers no longer need to boil water before drinking, cooking and making ice. The boil water notice had been in effect for around 36 hours.

Midland Mayor Patrick Payton said Thursday that the entire city of Midland is under a mandatory boil water notice and that customers should treat the water coming out of taps as if it were “lake water.” The mayor and other city officials stated a recent water main break in west Midland played a part in the water situation happening in Midland.

The demand for water in Tarrant County has seen steady growth with the area’s population expansion over the past 40 years. A state agency and a number of local water-related organizations are doing their part to plan for further growth and ensure there will be enough water to meet the demand that comes with it.

December 2022 featured some extreme and dramatic weather swings. So far, January 2023 is starting very warm.

Despite having a rainier than normal November, Austin was about 0.77 of an inch shy of normal rainfall for December at its main weather station. Austin's cumulative rainfall since Jan. 1 is 26.59 inches, which was 9.66 inches below normal for year's end, according to National Weather Service data. 

Many in Zavalla were without water over the holiday weekend, but more than half the city has been able to get running water again. City Secretary Wauanesa Herrington said crews filled up the water tanks to pressurize the system Tuesday morning. They began by turning on one section at a time, starting on the north side of town to find any remaining leaks.

The Sugar Land City Council at its December 20 meeting voted unanimously to authorize city staff to submit a grant application to the Texas General Land Office for funds for two erosion mitigation projects in order to reduce flooding along the Brazos River. After the major flooding events of 2015 and 2016 and Hurricane Harvey in 2016, the city and Fort Bend commissioned two erosion studies for 13 critical areas of the Brazos River, which concluded that in less than 30 years erosion could threaten homes, city and county infrastructure, parks and highway bridges along evacuation routes, senior engineering manager Jorge Alba reminded Council members.

The three stations, which are located at Elkins, Terrace View and Robinsons Ferry, are a “critical part of transporting wastewater from residents' homes and businesses to the city’s wastewater treatment plants,” city documents said. Wastewater lift stations have a 25-year life span, and city officials said on Dec. 19 they are seeking to proactively rehabilitate a number of the lift stations to maintain current service levels.