Title
Receive a report from City staff on the 2024 Water Conservation Plan.
Body
BACKGROUND:
Whether groundwater or surface water, water is a precious resource essential for life. All residents of Texas should care about the amount of water they use and the efforts they can take to minimize human impact on the water quality in the state. According to the Texas Water Development Board, Texas' population is projected to increase by more than 70%, from 29.7 million in 2020 to 51.5 million in 2070. Farmers Branch is experiencing population growth due to new developments. As the population of the Farmers Branch and the State increases, so too will water consumption. Therefore, it is important to know the amount of water and how it is used within City operations and the community.
Municipalities and water utilities in Texas are encouraged to develop water conservation plans to prepare for population growth and droughts, minimize future utility capital projects, minimize groundwater depletion, and conserve a precious resource for future generations. The objectives of a water conservation plan are to proactively reduce water consumption on a gallons per capita per day basis, improve the efficiency in the use of water, and plan, program, and create a sustainable plan for water usage. In contrast, a drought contingency plan's objective is reactive and designed to conserve the available water supply in times of drought and emergency. Staff uses these goals to assist in making operational and capital improvement budgets to reduce water loss and consumption.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Farmers Branch has water conservation and drought contingency plans, as the Texas Water Code requires. Farmers Branch is required to submit a Water Conservation Plan to the Texas Water Development Board because the City is a retail public water supplier with more than 3,300 connections. In May 2019, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2019-038, which adopted the current Water Conservati...
Click here for full text