exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

The Dallas Metropolis Council on Wednesday accepted a plan to simply accept almost $251 million in loans from a state water planning and infrastructure financing company for a number of Dallas Water Utilities initiatives. The cash from the Texas Water Growth Board consists of $170 million over 5 years to exchange 40 miles of metropolis water mains every year. 

Several inches of rain fell across the Dallas-Fort Worth area Monday night, causing widespread flooding issues. For the drought-stricken North Texas metroplex, hopes that the record rain would ease water woes evaporated with news that much of that water is headed south to Houston.

It’s a water recycling method known as direct potable reuse, or DPR, which sends highly treated sewage water almost directly to a drinking water system for distribution to communities. It’s legal in Texas, and legal on a case-by-case basis in Arizona. 

More companies are expanding in Central Texas, bringing more people and more demand on the area’s resources. The growth is raising concern about the strain on the water supply.

In late May, people roaming around Goat Island Preserve may have smelled raw sewage. It wasn't their imagination.

The drought isn’t the only thing that’s worrying Lew. A new development, Mirasol Springs, that’s planning to build on the land around the canyon recently filed permits to construct new water wells.

Almost the entire state of Texas is experiencing a severe level of drought, and only a few corners of the state, such as El Paso, are not “abnormally dry” amid this year’s particularly hot summer.

And while the state is seeing some pockets of rain in late August, the drought likely will extend into winter because of current climate patterns that could lead to hotter and drier weather.

The Texas Coast Guard said the crude oil spill leaked sludge into the inland waters of Tabbs Bay off the coast of Houston. The water's edge in the bay had a thick dark brown color visible from aircraft flying over on Wednesday as responders tried to stop the spread of at least 420 gallons of oil that leaked from a fill line into the bay.

The Advanced Water Purification Facility will transform treated wastewater into fresh drinking water. The innovative facility will send purified drinking water straight into the water distribution system.

Heavy rain and flash flooding brought record rainfall to the Dallas-Forth Worth area between Sunday and Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth. More than 9 inches fell at Dallas Forth Worth Airport over a 24-hour period that began Sunday, marking the highest rainfall over that length of time that the area has seen since 1932, the agency said.

Snowden told the City Council that La Joya couldn’t afford to build a new wastewater treatment plant and a new water treatment plant without increasing rates. He presented the City Council with a proposal to increase water rates on Oct. 1 — and every October until 2026.

Customers of the Lilly Grove Special Utility District are asked to boil all water intended for personal consumption. Due to break on a 8″ line on FM1638 on the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Lilly Grove SUD # 1740014, public water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth drinking etc.).

The Brazos River Authority (BRA) says a Stage 1 Drought Watch has been declared for the entirety of its reservoir system. The notice applies to all customers accessing water from lakes Somerville, Possum Kingdom, Granbury, Whitney, Aquila, Limestone, Belton, Stillhouse Hollow, Granger, Georgetown and Proctor.

Reservoirs in the Rio Grande Valley are running dry—sparking emergency water conservation measures in both the U.S. and Mexico. One reservoir, Lake Falcon, is just nine percent full.

On Thursday afternoon, Leander officials reported that a leak was discovered by the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority in the 36-in raw water pipeline previously repaired in 2021. That's the pipeline that brings raw water from Lake Travis to the BCRUA water treatment facility for use by residents. 

Are the dropping water levels at the Highland Lakes reason enough for the managers of the lake system to take action to protect Austin's drinking water? The Central Texas Water Coalition is taking advantage of public comment at the Lower Colorado River Authority’s board meeting to make its case.